Feasibility and safety of dual-wavelength 980/1470 nm laser for laparoscopic fenestration of hepatic cysts: a preliminary clinical study

Background Laparoscopic fenestration and drainage is the standard treatment for symptomatic hepatic cysts. Conventional high-frequency electrocautery and ultrasonic scalpels have inherent limitations in simultaneously achieving efficient cutting and hemostasis, complete epithelial ablation, and preservation of intrahepatic vascular structures, leading to thermal injury, incomplete cyst wall treatment, and recurrence. The 980/1470 nm dual-wavelength laser leverages differential photothermal absorption by hemoglobin and water to enable layered, targeted therapy, offering a novel approach to optimizing minimally invasive hepatic cyst treatment, though clinical evidence remains limited. This study explores the feasibility, safety, and early efficacy of 980/1470 nm dual-wavelength laser in laparoscopic hepatic cyst fenestration, summarizes its technical essentials, and reports a preliminary single-port laparoscopic application of this laser system as an illustrative case. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted of 10 patients who underwent laparoscopic hepatic cyst fenestration and drainage using 980/1470 nm dual-wavelength laser between May 2024 and September 2026. Intraoperatively, the 980/1470 nm dual-wavelength laser was used for cyst fenestration, combined with 1470 nm laser for precise superficial epithelial ablation of the cyst wall. Preoperative demographics, laser parameters, operative time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative hospital stay, and complications were analyzed. Short-term imaging follow-up was performed to assess cyst recurrence and cavity healing. Results Ten patients were enrolled, all of whom underwent successful laparoscopic surgery, including one case performed with a flexible single-port laparoscope. Postoperative pathology confirmed biliary hepatic cysts in all patients. Intraoperative blood loss was minimal, surgical trauma and stress were low, and no severe complications such as bile leakage, intra-abdominal hemorrhage, or infection occurred. All patients recovered uneventfully. Short-term imaging at a mean follow-up of 3 months demonstrated cyst cavity reduction or closure in all patients. Conclusion In this small pilot cohort, 980/1470 nm dual-wavelength laser laparoscopic fenestration and drainage appeared feasible and safe, with no severe perioperative complications and favorable short-term imaging outcomes; the single-port application described here represents a single illustrative case. Given the small sample size, absence of a comparator group, and short follow-up, these findings are preliminary and require confirmation in larger controlled studies with longer-term surveillance.