Forget Stitching, Docs Can Now Weld Wounds Shut

Stitches, staples and sutures may soon be a thing of the past. And welding may be the wave of the future. In a world first, a team of applied physicists have developed a safe and effective way to close incisions using a laser, the Jerusalem Post reported Friday.

The team from Tel Aviv University found a way to maintain laser heat at a specific temperature so the incision is essentially welded shut. The scientists said this minimizes the risk of infection, scars and helps speed up the healing process, according to the report.

“The development is groundbreaking medical technology,” Professor Abraham Katzir told the newspaper. He also said it could be used quickly and easily by medics on the battlefield as well as by plastic surgeons and other surgical specialists.

The country’s Health Ministry gave permission for the first clinical trials a few months ago, the Post reported.

Click here to read more from the Jerusalem Post.