Characterization of skin tissue soldering using diode laser and indocyanine green: in vitro studies

Laser tissue soldering based on protein as biological glues and other compounds can provide greater bond strength and less collateral damage. Endogenous and exogenous materials such as indocyanine green (ICG) are often added to solders to enhance light absorption. The purpose of this in vitro study was to examine the impact of different parameters of laser soldering on the thermo-physical properties of the skin. A mixture of albumin solder and ICG was prepared, and then the coated samples were irradiated by an 810 nm diode laser under different conditions. The temperature rise, number of scans (N_s), and scan velocity (V_s) were investigated in this study. The results showed that, at each laser irradiance (I), the tensile strength (σ) of incisions repaired in static mode was higher than in dynamic mode and that the σ increased with both increasing N_s and increasing I. It is therefore important to consider the trade off between scan velocity and surface temperature for achieving an optimum operating condition.