Abstract
Extracorporeal circulation (ECC) using a pump-oxygenator is indispensable support for cardiovascular surgery. However, problems remain because of erythrocytic damage. So we studied the protective effect of low power He-Ne laser as a novel means of alleviating the erythrocytic damage caused by pump-oxygenator, in the absence of drug administration.
Experiments were using a hollow-fiber type membrane oxygenator, connected to a closed circuit filled with a human erythrocyte suspension (leucocytes and plasma were excluded). One of the circuits was used for laser irradiated group and the other for control. Two circuits were inserted into one double roller pump, and experienced same time, using the same sample. The laser group demonstrated significantly higher erythrocyte deformability, and lower free hemoglobin levels. Furthermore, in subsequent morphological observations using a scanning electron microscope, there were fewer spinous erythrocytes and more normal discocytes in the laser group when compared to the control group.
Low power He-Ne laser irradiation was shown to protect human erythrocytes from the damage caused by experimental pump-oxygenator, and the clinical application of low power He-Ne laser irradiation for ECC might be indicated.
