ABSTRACT
Approximately 20 years ago the CO2 laser was introduced into surgical practice as a tool to photothermally ablate, and thus to incise and to debulk, soft tissues. Subsequently, three important factors have led to the expanding biomedical use of laser technology, particularly in surgery. These factors are (1) the increasing understanding of the wave-length selective interaction and associated effects of ultraviolet-infrared (UVIR) radiation with biologic tissues, including those of acute damage and long-term healing, (2) the rapidly increasing availability of lasers emitting (essentially monochromatically) at those wavelengths that are strongly absorbed by molecular species within tissues, and (3) the availability of both optical fiber and lens technologies as well as of endoscopic technologies for delivery of the laser radiation to the often remote internal treatment site. Fusion of these factors has led to the development of currently available biomedical laser systems.
