New Development for Safer Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection using Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) Laser

Abstract

Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection (ESD) is increasingly accepted as a minimally invasive treatment for the patients with early gastrointestinal cancers. However, ESD demands high maneuverability technique, and the success of the operation is dependent of each operator’s skill. We have developed a novel laser endoscopic system for ESD to overcome such difficulties of ESD. Compared to conventional ESD using electric surgical knives, ESD using CO₂ laser method has an advantage of less risk of perforation and massive thermal damage, because the CO₂ laser is strongly absorbed by water. Farther more, due to non-contact laser irradiation and adequate visualization of treatment area, the laser system may provide more precise and safer treatment for every endoscopist.