Laser Tissue Welding in Wound Healing and Surgical Repair

Laser tissue welding (LTW) is a sutureless technique for sealing incised or wounded tissue and is an attractive alternative or supplement in various surgeries. In LTW, chromophores convert laser light to heat which ultimately results in tissue sealing. While LTW has had success without exogenous absorbers, introducing chromophores that absorb near-infrared light creates differential laser absorption and allows for a laser wavelength that minimizes tissue damage. Additionally, chromophore-embedded thin biopolymer films have been used to create robust tissue bonding in larger tissue geometries. Advances in LTW procedures and materials (chromophores and composites) can reduce treatment complexity, facilitate welding of larger tissue, and result in higher tensile strengths compared to suturing in many cases. However, the elevated temperatures reached due to laser light absorption and concomitant heat generation can cause significant tissue damage in some cases, and procedural and material improvements to LTW are underway to optimize the trade-off between tissue damage and tissue seal strength.