Laser blade pulsed laser ablation

An apparatus for resecting hard biological tissue, comprising:

• a laser source configured to emit a laser beam;
• a plurality of optical fibers, each optical fiber having a proximal end optically coupled to the laser source and a distal end configured to emit the laser beam from the laser source;
• a support structure configured to maintain the distal ends of the plurality of optical fibers in a predetermined spatial arrangement;
• a window positioned configured to permit transmission of the laser beam from the distal ends of the plurality of optical fibers toward the tissue;
• at least one spacing element associated with the support structure and configured to maintain a predetermined distance between the distal ends of the plurality of optical fibers and the tissue during operation;
• a fluid delivery system associated with the support structure and configured to deliver a fluid to a cutting interface associated with the tissue;
• and
• a suction channel integrated with the support structure and configured to evacuate excess fluid and ablation byproducts from the cutting interface.

A method for resecting hard biological tissue, comprising:

• emitting a laser beam from a laser source;
• transmitting the laser beam through a plurality of optical fibers, each optical fiber having a proximal end optically coupled to the laser source and a distal end configured to emit the laser beam from the laser source;
• maintaining the distal ends of the plurality of optical fibers in a predetermined spatial arrangement using a support structure;
• positioning a window to permit transmission of the laser beam from the distal ends of the plurality of optical fibers toward the tissue;
• maintaining a predetermined distance between the distal ends of the plurality of optical fibers and the tissue using at least one spacing element associated with the support structure;
• delivering a fluid to a cutting interface using a fluid delivery system associated with the support structure;
• and
• resecting the tissue by moving the cutting interface relative to the tissue while emitting the laser beam.