Oral and maxillofacial surgeryEvaluation of lateral thermal damage and reepithelialization of incisional wounds created by CO2-laser, monopolar electrosurgery, and radiosurgery: a pilot study on porcine oral mucosa

ObjectiveThis study aims to compare lateral thermal damage (LTD) produced by CO2-laser, monopolar electrosurgery (MES), and radiosurgery (MRS) and its effects on the reepithelialization of oral mucosa incisional wounds.Study designFive adult swine were submitted to standardized incisions at the tongue and gingiva by MES, MRS, CO2-laser and scalpel. Full-thickness specimens were harvested sequentially on days 1 and 3. All specimens were formalin fixed, paraffin embedded, cut, and stained with hematoxylin-eosin to quantify LTD extent. Sections of day 3 were stained for Ki-67 to assess epithelial proliferation at the incision margins. A multiple linear regression model and an analysis of variance were used to determine the correlation of each instrument with LTD extent and Ki-67 expression respectively.ResultsLTD was most extensive in the CO2-laser but did not differ between the MES and MRS groups. No statistically significant differences regarding reepithelialization were noted among the investigated instruments.ConclusionsCO2-laser produced more extensive LTD, without evident impact on reepithelialization.