Excimer laser phototherapy for the dissolution of abnormal growth
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
InventorsDieter M. Gruen, Charles E. Young, Michael J. Pellin
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Abstract
Removal of abnormal human tissue with reduced thermal damage is achieved by selecting a laser having a wavelength in the order of 290-400 nm, orienting a laser-transmitting glass member toward the abnormal tissue and directing the laser through the glass member at power densities, pulse rates, and times sufficient to cause multiphoton absorption and bond breaking by Coulomb repulsion rather than thermal destruction. The glass member may include a laser beam concentrator provided by a lens or cone at the tissue-treatment end to increase the beam energy per unit area and reduce the treatment area.
Claims15
A method of severing a human tissue comprising the steps of
- providing a laser-transmitting member composed of glass,
- exposing at least a portion of the tissue to the laser transmitting member, and
- directing a laser having a wavelength of about 290-400 through the laser transmitting member to the tissue portion for a time and at an intensity level sufficient to penetrate the tissue and separate a tissue portion from remaining tissue.
Apparatus for severing human tissue comprising
- at least one glass member for transmitting a laser beam arranged to direct a laser beam to the tissue, and
- laser means for providing and directing a laser beam having a wavelength of about 290-400 nm through the glass member to the tissue for a time and at an intensity level suffficient to penetrate the tissue and sever said tissue from remaining tissue.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.