Ablation of bone and polymethylmethacrylate by an XeCl (308 nm) excimer laser
One of the main problems in orthopaedics is the surgical removal of hard substances, such as bone and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). Such materials are often very difficult to remove without mechanical trauma to the remaining tissue. This study investigated the feasibility of the ultraviolet 308 nm excimer laser in the ablation of these materials. The beam was delivered through a 1 mm-diameter fiber optic at 40 Hz with energy densities at the target surface of 20-80 J/cm2 per pulse. The goal of the study was to establish the ideal dosimetry for removing bone and PMMA with minimum trauma to the adjacent tissue. Histology revealed that the 308 nm laser effectively removed bone leaving a thermal damage zone of only 2-3 microns in the remaining tissue. Increasing the energy per pulse gave correspondingly larger and deeper cuts with increasing zones of thermal damage. The excimer laser was also effective in the ablation of PMMA, creating craters in the substrate with a thermal damage zone of 10-40 microns. The debris from both substrates was evaluated.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of California, Irvine (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 5962885
- Journal Information:
- Lasers Surg. Med.; (United States), Journal Name: Lasers Surg. Med.; (United States) Vol. 9:2; ISSN LSMED
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
560400* -- Other Environmental Pollutant Effects
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BODY
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EXCIMER LASERS
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
GAS LASERS
LASER RADIATION
LASERS
MAMMALS
MEDICINE
ORGANS
RABBITS
RADIATIONS
SENSITIVITY
SKELETON
SURGERY
VERTEBRATES