People who work here, at Aesculight, strongly believe in the clinical advantages of our surgical laser. Tracy Stein, our marketing communications and events coordinator, had one of her 7 (!) horses treated with the Aesculight laser. In 2011, Easy Strike (“Teddy”) suffered from a canker in the central sulcus of the frog (on his left front foot). Equine canker is described as an infectious process that results in the development of a chronic hypertrophy of the horn-producing tissues. Thorough debridement of the lesion is crucial. Though this can be achieved either with electrocautery or with a scalpel excision followed by cryotherapy, with these methods the tissue necrosis may be quite severe and unpredictable.
Dr. Theresa Englebert of the Rainland Farm Equine Clinic (Woodinville, WA) debrided the diseased tissue in Teddy’s foot with the 40-watt Aesculight laser, because the CO2 laser ensures precise excision with a zone of thermal necrosis of only 50 microns [1]. Such a small area of necrosis ensures easier and more comfortable recovery for the patient. In addition, the laser kills bacteria and seals blood vessels as it cuts, helping to maintain great visibility of the surgical field. This allows the surgeon to cut more conservatively and precisely. After his laser surgery, Teddy was discharged from the clinic and his owner was instructed to give him SMZ/TMP (10 pills twice a day), clean the surgical area regularly, pack the surgical site with a mixture of water, Epsom salt and iodine, and protect the foot from moisture. The recovery was smooth, with no complications. In 2.5-3 weeks Teddy’s foot healed. The problem has not re-occurred!
Reference: [1] Wilder-Smith P, Arrastia AM, Liaw LH, Berns M. Incision properties and thermal effects of three CO2 lasers in soft tissue. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 1995;79(6):685-691.
Sarah Stein, Tracy’s daughter, on Easy Strike (“Teddy”), the patient whose foot was treated with the Aesculight CO2 laser
Tracy Stein on one of her seven horses, Apollo
