Luxar CO2

The Luxar CO2 laser is a 10.6 micron (10,600 nm) surgical laser built by Luxar Corporation of Bothell, Washington, and sold as the LX-20 family. Co-founder Mike Levy invented the first commercial flexible hollow waveguide, which Luxar manufactured exclusively. FDA cleared its Endoguide waveguides in 1988 and its Flexiguide hollow fiber in 1990. The LX-20 console appears in FDA records from February 1990, when the LX-20 MiniLase was cleared, with another LX-20 clearance in April 1991. A later company history dates the NovaPulse name to 1994.

FDA's 1996 clearance for a modified LX-20, K960475, describes the beam reaching tissue through a knuckled beam delivery assembly, hollow fiber waveguides, handpieces and sterile delivery tips. It confirms three base consoles from the 1995 clearance: the LX-20i, LX-20SP and LX-20LP. All share the same RF-excited lasing tube, chassis, power supply and controller. The 1996 change added an accessory patterning handpiece with its own tip, cabling and software. Cleared uses cover vaporization, incision, excision, ablation and photocoagulation of soft tissue in gynecology, laparoscopy, dermatology, dental and oral surgery, orthopedics, general surgery, ENT and podiatry.

ESC Medical Systems agreed in February 1997 to buy Luxar in a stock swap. The console suffix (i, SP or LP) tells you which of the three base versions you have, so read it off the label. A refurbished Luxar NovaPulse 30 watt system is still listed in the FDA device identifier database by a refurbisher, which shows these lasers are still serviced and resold.

Before making an offer, a buyer will want measured power at several settings, since tube output drops with age. They will also look at every waveguide for kinks, dents or poor transmission, and at the handpieces, tips and patterning handpiece if present. Tube age or replacement records and photos of the model label and each accessory help a dealer price the unit.