Cell vitality in cartilage tissue culture following excimer laser radiation: An in vitro examination

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Abstract
Excimer laser is used for cartilage debridement, although the resulting cell damage is yet unclear. For examination of cartilage survival after treatment, we used short-term tissue cultures of human joint cartilage. Specimens were treated with a XeCl-Excimer laser using different laser parameters, pulse energies, and repetition rates. Following treatment, discs were cultured for 8 days prior to examination. In contrast to the 20 μm damage zone as instant visible effect in histomorphologic examinations, we found a 0.3 mm zone in which ∼ 50% of cartilage cells had morphological signs of damage on light microscopic examinations. Autoradiography revealed that cartilage cells in an 0.5–0.7 mm area surrounding the laser craters had no collagen synthesis. This examination indicates that cell damage of excimer laser is higher than expected from prior studies.