title: Alternation of the q-switched Nd:YAG laser and the cw argon laser for tunneling through organic material.
abstract: The rapidly alternating combination of Nd:YAG laser power of the optical break-down mode with cw energy of the argon laser ablates tissue. Blood agar provides a standard test medium as tissue substitute and permits to quantify the effect of various laser energy combinations to achieve optimal ablation. High wattage of the Nd:YAG laser provides destructive pressure that creates fissures which act as the light traps of a black body simulator for efficient cw argon laser energy conversion to pressure and kinetic energy. Within the fissure the deposited cw argon laser energy is directed by gradients toward the tissue surface so that deepening troughs or tunnels are formed by expelling tissue debris.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, St. Mary's Hospital, Montreal, Canada.
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Schirmer
mesh_terms: D000362:Agar / Q000528:radiation effects; D062109:Dermatologic Surgical Procedures; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D012867:Skin / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: D000362:Agar