title: Laser effects on prostatic tissue: review of experimental data.
abstract: Laser-tissue interaction is a highly dynamic event affected by many features of the laser, the tissue, and the operative procedure. The continuous-wave lasers used in urology produce lesions in three basic phases: initial heating, protein denaturation, and evaporation with charring. There are three components of these lesions: a central cavity, a zone of char, and a coagulation zone. The configuration of the lesion differs depending on the method of laser ablation (noncontact coagulation, contact tip incision, contact free-beam evaporation). Understanding of these differences will enable the endourologist to choose rationally among the various techniques of laser prostate ablation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Crawford Long Memorial Hospital of Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Fournier
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Narayan
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D017075:Laser Coagulation / Q000379:methods; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D011467:Prostate / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D013816:Thermodynamics