title: Laser irradiation of biological tissue through water as a means of reducing thermal damage.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Reduction of thermal damage inbred with laser surgery is an ongoing challenge. The cavitation effect has been shown to facilitate the transmission of a laser beam through the otherwise opaque water layer. We suggest that by immersing the target tissue in water during laser surgery, thermal damage will be diminished.
  
  
  METHODS
  A method of irradiating tissue by CO2 laser through a layer of a few millimeters of water is described. A series of experiments was conducted on fresh bovine cornea immersed in water or in air, histology of thermal damage was compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We were able to show that irradiation of tissue immersed in water reduces the thermal damage caused to the area surrounding the incision as compared to the damage caused during irradiation of tissue in air (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laser surgery of tissue immersed in water can reduce the inbred thermal damage. Application of this method to clinical use may result in precise, clean cutting, and enable the use of CO2 laser through water.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Haim Sheba Medical Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Hashomer, Israel.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shalhav
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wallach-Kapon
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akselrod
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Katzir
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D003315:Cornea / Q000528:radiation effects*; D065306:Corneal Injuries; D007101:Immersion; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D014867:Water