Veterinary laser surgery provides the same benefits to pets that human patients have enjoyed for over thirty years: less pain, less bleeding, less infection, less swelling and discomfort after surgery, and the ability to resume normal activities sooner.
The laser technology used at the Reidsville Veterinary Hospital Laser Center can perform a wide variety of surgical procedures on cats, dogs, horses, birds, and other animals. It can be used to make unique bloodless laser incision, as well as to erase unhealthy tissue (e.g. tumors) without excessive loss of blood typical of conventional scalpel based surgery. The laser seals small blood vessels as it cuts, which significantly simplifies the surgical procedure. The laser ablation is so precise that it can selectively remove only a few cells at a time, and the laser beam seals nerve endings, so patients are much more comfortable after treatment. The laser beam kills any bacteria in its path, and also seals lymph nodes, resulting in less post operative swelling and infection.
Common Procedures
A surgical laser can be used instead of the steel scalpel in hundreds of procedures in general surgery, dermatology, ophthalmic surgery, ENT, and many other specialties. When using the veterinary surgical laser, only an intense beam of laser light touches the tissue, which leads to less pain, less bleeding, less swelling, and less risk of infection often associated with surgery. Veterinary laser is capable of performing incisions, excisions, dissections, and ablations of many kinds. Biopsies, lesion removal, tissue sculpting, and many more procedures are all within the laser’s capabilities.
What is a laser?
A laser is a device that produces an extremely powerful and concentrated beam of light. In fact, our Aesculight surgical laser creates a beam that is even more powerful than a similarly-sized beam leaving the surface of the sun. There are many exciting uses for lasers in medicine, manufacturing, space exploration, research telecommunications, and for military applications. Years of experience in veterinary and human medicine went into the design of the Aesculight laser, which was made specifically to provide superior care for pets.
What is laser surgery and how does it work?
Traditional surgery with a scalpel or scissors can bruise or crush tissue. When we use the laser, only an intense beam of laser light touches the tissue, which minimizes the pain, swelling, and bleeding often associated with surgery. The laser has the unique ability to vaporize or “erase” tissue. The laser can be used to make incisions, as well as to erase unhealthy tissue. The laser beam seals nerve endings, so patients are more comfortable after surgery. Not only does the laser kill any bacteria in its path, it also seals the lymph nodes, so there is less swelling post-operatively.
What are the advantages of laser surgery?
Less pain and swelling promote a quicker recovery
Less bleeding simplifies surgery, and may reduce the need of anesthesia
Sanitizing effect of the laser beam lowers the risk of infection
Less overall trauma for the patient