A proposed clinical application of a model of CO₂ laser radiation induced damage craters

Abstract

A method for a controlled generation of primary damage craters in methacrylate ester samples (Vedril C, Montedison) induced by continuous and long-term exposure to CO₂ laser radiation is proposed. The results are compared with the experimental values obtained ‘in vitro’ with 10 W continuous output power of a CO₂ laser beam and f_g= 7–5 in focal length of the laser's focusing head, and this shows that the proposed model can explain the phenomenon related to the generation of the limiting crater in typical biological tissue. It may have applications in clinical procedures where long–term exposure of the tissue to a laser beam must be considered. Also, the method may possibly be used to create and update a computer library automatically collecting data regarding different thermodynamic characteristics and values of various biological media.