Tissue treatment apparatus and methods

A method comprising:

• contacting a part of an area of a tissue with a tissue contacting member coupled to a beam blocking element, the beam blocking element being thermally isolated from the area of the tissue;
• and
• applying laser radiation to the area of the tissue, wherein at least some of the radiation not absorbed by the area of the tissue is absorbed by the beam blocking element, the thermal isolation of the beam blocking element from the area of the tissue substantially preventing heat resulting from the at least some of the radiation absorbed by the beam blocking element from being directed to any part of the area of the tissue.

A thermal protection instrument comprising:

• a tissue contacting member to contact a part of an area of a tissue irradiated by laser radiation emitted from an emitting end of a waveguide, the waveguide being coupleable to a laser source to generate the laser radiation;
• and
• a beam blocking element to absorb at least some of radiation not absorbed by the area of the tissue, the beam blocking element being thermally isolated from the area of the tissue.