Biological effects of laser welding on vascular healing

The feasibility of welding thin‐walled microvessels by laser has been established. This report summarizes our experience using laser welding to repair thick‐walled, high‐pressure, 4 to 8‐mm canine arteries using CO2, Nd:YAG, and argon lasers. The CO2 laser did not produce seals that could withstand arterial pressure. Nd:YAG laser welds were initially successful, but the majority failed within 20 to 40 minutes. The argon laser uniformly sealed 2‐cm‐length arteriotomies that healed rapidly within 4 to 6 weeks and had less foreign body response compared to sutured controls. Laser welding may represent an alternative for repair of small‐and large‐diameter vessels with several advantages compared to conventional suture techniques.