Abstract
A carbon dioxide laser instrument has, been employed with remarkable success in the treatment of erosio portionis. The carbon dioxide laser emits an electromagnetic wave at 10.6 microns which is absorbed by tissue depending on the water content. This energy absorption converts the water to steam vaporization thus occurs and consequently cells are blown apart with the steam. The change so caused is confined to a small area, and there seems to be a minimum damage to the adjacent tissue with no bleeding. There occur rapid repair and regeneration.
The cytologic specimens taken immediately after the laser treatment revealed only mild transformation of squamous cells in the area of vaporization. But columnar cells appeared greatly elongated and thin. The nuclei of the columnar cells were elongated. Recovery following the laser treatment was rapid. The cytologic pattern revealed acute inflammatory changes 1-4 week after the laser treatment. The cytologic specimens contained many tissue repair cells and metaplastic cells with some histiocytes. By the 5th week these cells disappeared and cytologic presentation consisted mostly of squamous epithelial cells.
