Abstract

Recent advances and the popularization of certain treatments have served to infuse renewed interest into the therapeutic use of lasers. Newer applications, like transmyocardial revascularization and laser skin resurfacing, have gained greater clinical use and acceptance. More established applications like photodynamic therapy have expanded and diversified to become treatments for other indications and diseases. However, despite the near-commonplace usage of medical lasers, many fundamental questions about laser-tissue interactions still remain.

© 1998 Optical Society of America