Efficiency of disc ablation with lasers of various wavelengths.
In testing the CO2 lasers in CW and pulse mode, the erbium:YAG, the Nd:YAG 1318 microns and 1064 microns, the argon, the holmium:YAG, and the excimer, we found the greatest efficiency in the CO2 CW and pulse mode, and the lowest efficiency in the argon. Data with the holmium:YAG were unreliable because of the early generation laser tested. The Nd:YAG was second only to the CO2 laser, and because the latter has no waveguide, we deemed the Nd:YAG the laser of choice for PLDD.
Choy
D S
DS
Altman
P
P
Trokel
S L
SL
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D017587:Diskectomy, Percutaneous / Q000379:methods*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000601:surgery*; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*