Laser treatment using acoustic feedback

A medical system, comprising:

• a laser system configured to generate laser energy for treating a target in a body of a subject via an optical pathway;
• an acoustic sensor configured to sense an acoustic signal resulting from pressure waves produced in a liquid media of the body by the laser energy incident on the target;
• and
• a feedback controller circuit configured to:
• determine an acoustic property of the acoustic signal, the acoustic property including information relating to time elapsed for the laser energy to travel from the laser system to the target through the liquid media and time elapsed for the acoustic signal to travel to the acoustic sensor;
• and
• based at least in part on the determined acoustic property, generate a control signal to an actuator for adjusting a longitudinal position of a distal tip of the optical pathway relative to the target.

A method for controlling a laser system for providing laser energy to a target in a body of a subject, the method comprising:

• directing laser energy produced by the laser system to the target via an optical pathway;
• receiving, via an acoustic sensor, an acoustic signal resulting from pressure waves in liquid media produced by the laser energy incident on the target;
• determining an acoustic property of the acoustic signal, the acoustic property including information relating to time elapsed for the laser energy to travel from the laser system to the target through the liquid media and time elapsed for the acoustic signal to travel to the acoustic sensor;
• identifying a characteristic of the target based at least in part on the determined acoustic property;
• and
• automatically adjusting a laser output of the laser system based on the identified characteristic of the target.