Abstract

Currently, various types of pulsed lasers are used for ablation of tissue. Owing to their small penetration depth, mid-infrared and ultraviolet lasers are attractive candidates for precise tissue cutting. Furthermore, both the mid-infrared and ultraviolet laser pulses can be delivered via flexible fibers, which allows ablation of tissue in a water environment and in the human body. The mid-infrared holmium (wavelength λ = 2.09 μm) and thulium (λ = 2.01 μm) laser ablation is based on the absorption and subsequent vaporization of tissue water. As a result, with each laser pulse, a rapidly expanding and imploding vapor bubble (lifetime τ ≈ 500 μs, diameter ∅ up to 3 mm) is formed.¹

© 1994 IEEE