The Benefits of CO₂ Laser

CO₂ laser: Controlled Precision for enhanced surgical outcomes

Now in use for over thirty years in surgical procedures, the CO₂ laser was one of the first lasers to be developed. CO₂ lasers are so named since they are produced by exciting carbon dioxide gas within a sealed tube producing a beam of infrared light with principal wavelength bands centered around 9.4 and 10.6 microns.

Water, the primary component of most biological tissue, absorbs CO₂ laser energy readily. This ensures minimal thermal spread and makes CO₂ laser energy very useful for applications near critical anatomical structures. The adjoining chart illustrates the depth of penetration of various laser sources in water. As is evident, the CO₂ laser’s absorption in water is almost 400 times greater than that of the Argon laser.

With 60-70% of tissue being water, high absorption of CO₂ laser energy in water implies high absorption in tissue. This in turn translates into a superficial effect, as CO₂ laser energy is limited in its spread within tissue. Thus, the CO₂ laser has a superficial action limited to the upper layers of tissue when compared with other energy sources, and minimal damage to adjoining tissue volume. In addition, CO₂ laser energy seals small blood vessels as it cuts through the tissue rendering it an enhanced scalpel that combines precise cutting, ablation and microvascular coagulation while incurring minimal collateral thermal damage.