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Amir M. Karam, MD; Dmitriy E. Protsenko, PhD; Chao Li; Ryan Wright, BS; Lih-Huei L. Liaw, MS; Thomas E. Milner, PhD; Brian J. F. Wong, MD, PhD

Arch Facial Plast Surg. 2006;8:105-116.

Objective  To investigate the long-term in vivo effect of laser dosimetry on rabbit septal cartilage integrity, viability, and mechanical behavior.

Methods  Nasal septal cartilage specimens (control and irradiated pairs) were harvested from 18 rabbits. Specimens were mechanically deformed and irradiated with an Nd:YAG laser across a broad dosimetry range (4-8 W and 6-16 seconds). Treated specimens and controls were autologously implanted into a subperichondrial auricular pocket. Specimens were harvested an average ± SD of 208 ± 35 days later. Tissue integrity, histology, chondrocyte viability, and mechanical property evaluations were performed. Tissue damage results were compared with Monte Carlo simulation models.

Results  All laser-irradiated specimens demonstrated variable tissue resorption and calcification, which increased with increased dosimetry. Elastic moduli of the specimens were significantly either lower or higher than controls (all P<.05). Viability assays illustrated a total loss of viable chondrocytes within the laser-irradiated zones in all treated specimens. Histologic examination confirmed these findings. Experimental results were consistent with damage profiles determined using numerical simulations.

Conclusion  The loss of structural integrity and chondrocyte viability observed across a broad dosimetry range underscores the importance of spatially selective heating methods prior to initiating application in human subjects.

Author Affiliations: Beckman Laser Institute (Drs Karam, Protsenko, and Wong; Messrs Li and Wright; and Ms Liaw), Division of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Irvine Medical Center (Drs Karam and Wong), and Department of Biomedical Engineering (Dr Wong), University of California, Irvine; and Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin (Dr Milner).

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