Excimer ablation of human intervertebral disc at 308 nanometers

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1989 · Lasers Surg. Med.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/lsm.1900090207· OSTI ID:5876597

Wolgin, M; Finkenberg, J; Papaioannou, T; Segil, C; Soma, C; Grundfest, W

Excimer laser energy, which has been shown to photoablate tissue at a precisely controllable rate with minimal thermal damage, was applied to human intervertebral disc in an effort to develop a technique for percutaneous discectomy. Cadaveric samples of human disc were used. Excimer laser energy was produced by a XeCl, magnetically switched, long-pulse laser working at 308 nm, 20 Hz. Annulus tissue of approximately 1 mm thickness was placed in contact with the output tip of a 400 microns core diameter quartz fiber, and measurements of ablation rate were made at different radiant exposures. Ablation rates were found to vary linearly with radiant exposure, from 0.7 micron/pulse at 10 mJ/mm2 to 11.0 microns/pulse at 55 mJ/mm2, with a correlation coefficient of 0.984. Threshold radiant exposure, calculated by extrapolation, was found to be about 7 mJ/mm2. Histologic analysis showed a minimum of thermal damage in these specimens, and when ablated with modification to maintain constant fiber-tissue contact, thermal injury was nearly absent, as compared to samples ablated with Nd:YAG through a contact probe. Thermographic analysis, performed using the AGA 782 Digital Thermography system, showed increasing temperature with increasing radiant exposure, with a maximum temperature of 47.2 degrees C at 55 mJ/mm2. In that precise tissue ablation was demonstrated with minimal generated heat, and excimer energy at 308 nm is transmissible through fiber optics, excimer holds great promise for the development of a percutaneous discectomy technique.

• Research Organization: Harbor/UCLA Medical Center, Torrance (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5876597
• Journal Information: Lasers Surg. Med.; (United States), Vol. 9:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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