Comparison of tissue ablation with pulsed holmium and thulium lasers

Journal Article · Sat Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1990 · IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/3.64363· OSTI ID:5840564

Nishioka, N S; Domankevitz, Y ^[1]

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1. Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA (US)

The ablation rates and tissue effects produced by a pulsed holmium laser (wavelength 2.12 {mu}m, pulse duration 250 {mu}s) and a pulsed thulium laser (wavelength 2.01 {mu}m, pulse duration 250 {mu}s) are compared. Because the absorption coefficient of water is almost three times greater at the shorter wavelength (65 versus 24 cm{sup {minus}1}), the thulium laser should have a significantly lower threshold of ablation and produce significantly less residual thermal injury. These hypotheses were tested in vitro. Ablation rates were measured using fresh liver and a mass loss technique and found to increase linearly with delivered radiant exposure. The threshold radiant exposure for ablation was derived from the mass loss measurements and found to be 36 J/cm{sup 2} for the holmium laser and 29 J/cm{sup 2} for the thulium laser. The corresponding heats of ablation were 10 kJ/cm{sup 3} for the holmium laser and 9.7 kJ/cm{sup 3} for the thulium laser. These values were not statistically different.

• OSTI ID: 5840564
• Journal Information: IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (USA), Journal Name: IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (USA) Vol. 26:12; ISSN 0018-9197; ISSN IEJQA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560120* -- Radiation Effects on Biochemicals
Cells
& Tissue Culture
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ABLATION
ABSORPTION
ANIMAL CELLS
BODY
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CORRELATIONS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTS
ENERGY
ENERGY ABSORPTION
HOLMIUM
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INFRARED RADIATION
LASERS
LIVER CELLS
METALS
NEAR INFRARED RADIATION
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PULSES
RADIATIONS
RARE EARTHS
SOLID STATE LASERS
SOMATIC CELLS
THRESHOLD ENERGY
THULIUM
TISSUES
WATER