In vivo effects of 980 nm wavelength high-power diode laser on the prostate, bladder and the kidney

Purpose: As in many fields of the medicine laser technology has gained a wide utility in urological surgery. In the present study in vivo effects of diode 980 nm laser on the prostate, bladder and the kidney were investigated.Methods: After an approvement has been obtained from the ethics commity of Düzce University, five male mongrel dogs aged 4-5 years were included. General anesthesia was achieved by intramuscular cetamine hydrochloride 2 mg/kg and 3 mg/kg xylazine hydrochloride. After shaving and achieving antisepsis of the surgical area midline vertical incision was done. Exposing transvesically, diode laser at 120 watts was applied to the prostate and the center of the bladder fulled with normal saline for two minutes. Then, 50, 80 and 120 watts diode laser each was applied for three minutes onto renal parenchyma. The dogs were sacrified at the fifth day. Histopathologic examination of the kidneys, bladders and prostates was performed in all animals.Results: The mean vaporization defect after the laser treatment was 9.8 ± 2.28 and 15 ± 5.87 mm for the prostate and the kidney, respectively. The depth of coagulation zone was 11.2 ± 3.96 and 11.0 ± 3.0 mm, respectively. There was a modest coagulation effect with no accompanying vaporization through the bladder wall.Conclusions: These results show that, when applied directly to the prostate and renal parenchyma diode 980 laser has strong effects of vaporization and coagulation. Also, it may produce a modest thermal damage when applied intravesically at a distance from the bladder wallKeywords: Diode laser, vaporization, kidney, prostate, bladder.