title: Selective and self-guided micro-ablation of tissue with plasmonic nanobubbles.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The accuracy, selectivity, and safety of surgical and laser methods for tissue elimination are often limited at microscale.
  
  
  METHODS
  We developed a novel agent, the plasmonic nanobubble (PNB), for optically guided selective elimination of the target tissue with micrometer precision. PNBs were tested in vitro in the two different models of superficial tumors and vascular plaques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PNBs were selectively generated around gold nanoparticles (delivered to the target tissues) with short laser pulses. Monolayers of cancerous cells and atherosclerotic plaque tissue were eliminated with PNBs with micrometer accuracy and without thermal and mechanical damage to collateral normal tissues. The effect of the PNB was dynamically controlled through the fluence of laser pulses (532 nm, duration 0.5 and 10 ns) and was guided through the optical scattering by PNB.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plasmonic nanobubbles were shown to provide precise, tunable, selective, and guided ablation of tissue at a microscopic level and could be employed as a new generation of surgical tools.
authors.affiliation: Joint American-Belarusian Laboratory for Fundamental and Biomedical Nanophotonics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA.
authors.forename: Ekaterina Y
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Lukianova-Hleb
authors.forename: Irina I
authors.initials: II
authors.lastname: Koneva
authors.forename: Alexander O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Oginsky
authors.forename: Saverio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: La Francesca
authors.forename: Dmitri O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Lapotko
mesh_terms: D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology; D006046:Gold; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008027:Light; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000601:surgery*; D012542:Scattering, Radiation
chemical_list: D006046:Gold