ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The efficiency of second harmonic generation at 532 nm is high when a pulsed Nd : YAG laseris used as a pump source of fundamental waves. The pulse durations of 532 nm-irradiation can be varied from 10 ns to 1000 ns by changing the pumping method. The purpose of this study was to compare the macroscopic and micropscopic changes in the muscle and skin after irradiation by 532 nm Flash lamp pumped solid state (FPSS) laser and Diode pumped solid state (DPSS) laser, whose pulse durations are 600 ns and 100 ns, respectively. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Two experiments were conducted on the muscle and skin of guinea pig. First, the guinea pig muscle and skin were irradiated by the 532 nm FPSS and DPSS lasers with various intensities and time duration. Macroscopic examinations were performed on the muscle lesions and immediate histopathologic examinations on the skin were carried out. RESULTS: The volume of vaporization and necrosis of the guinea pig muscle by the FPSS laser was larger than that by the DPSS laser. The vaporization and necrosis reaction of skin by the FPSS was significantly stronger than that by the DPSS laser. CONCLUSION: It appears that the DPSS laser system would be superior over the FPSS laser system in providing more accurate and precise surgery with less intense injury on the surrounding tissue.