Article

Subsurface tissue lesions created using an Nd:YAG laser and a sapphire contact cooling probe†

  1. Rahayu Ramli BS1,
  2. Chia-Chun Chung1,
  3. Nathaniel M. Fried PhD2,*,
  4. Nicholas Franco MD3,
  5. Michael H. Hayman MD4

Article first published online: 20 DEC 2004

DOI: 10.1002/lsm.20112

Issue

Lasers in Surgery and Medicine

Lasers in Surgery and Medicine

Volume 35, Issue 5, pages 392–396, December 2004

Additional Information

How to Cite

Ramli, R., Chung, C.-C., Fried, N. M., Franco, N. and Hayman, M. H. (2004), Subsurface tissue lesions created using an Nd:YAG laser and a sapphire contact cooling probe. Lasers Surg. Med., 35: 392–396. doi: 10.1002/lsm.20112

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland

  2. 2

    Department of Urology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland

  3. 3

    Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana

  4. 4

    Department of Radiology, Louisiana State University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana

*Department of Urology, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, 4940 Eastern Avenue, Building A, Room 347c, Baltimore, MD 21224.

  1. †

    N.F. and M.H.H. have disclosed potential financial conflicts of interest with this study.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 20 DEC 2004
  2. Article first published online: 20 DEC 2004
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 20 SEP 2004

Funded by

  • Brady Urological Institute of the Johns Hopkins Medical School (to N.F.)
  • Solarus Medical Group, New Orleans, LA

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Keywords:

  • coagulation;
  • contact;
  • cooling;
  • cryogen;
  • laser;
  • noninvasive;
  • sapphire

Abstract

Background and Objectives

This study investigates deep laser coagulation of tissue in combination with contact cooling of the tissue surface for potential use in noninvasive procedures in urology.

Study Design/Materials and Methods

A laser probe was designed and tested for simultaneous Nd:YAG laser irradiation and sapphire contact cooling of liver and skin tissue samples, ex vivo. Gross and histologic examination was used to quantify thermal lesion dimensions.

Results

Liver lesions measured 5.5 ± 0.3 mm in diameter, while preserving the tissue surface to a depth of 2.1 ± 0.2 mm (n = 5). Skin lesions measured 4.3 ± 0.9 mm in diameter, while preserving the skin surface to a depth of 1.1 ± 0.2 mm (n = 6). There were no statistical differences in lesion diameter and layer of preserved tissue between contact (sapphire) cooling and prior non-contact (cryogen spray) cooling results for a given tissue type (P > 0.05).

Conclusions

Noninvasive laser procedures targeting tissue structures for thermal coagulation within a few millimeters of the tissue surface are feasible and may expand the use of combined laser/cooling techniques for applications in urology and general surgery. In vivo animal studies are currently in development to optimize the laser and cooling parameters for potential clinical applications. Lasers Surg. Med. 35:392–396, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

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