title: A spectroscopic approach to monitor the cut processing in pulsed laser osteotomy.
abstract: During laser osteotomy surgery, plasma arises at the place of ablation. It was the aim of this study to explore whether a spectroscopic analysis of this plasma would allow identification of the type of tissue that was affected by the laser. In an experimental setup (Rofin SCx10, CO(2) Slab Laser, wavelength 10.6 μm, pulse duration 80 μs, pulse repetition rate 200 Hz, max. output in cw-mode 100 W), the plasma spectra evoked by a pulsed laser, cutting 1-day postmortem pig and cow bones, were recorded. Spectra were compared to the reference spectrum of bone via correlation analysis. Our measurements show a clear differentiation between the plasma spectra when cutting either a bone or a soft tissue. The spectral changes could be detected from one to the next spectrum within 200 ms. Continuous surveillance of plasma spectra allows us to differentiate whether bone or soft tissue is hit by the last laser pulse. With this information, it may be possible to stop the laser when cutting undesired soft tissue and to design an automatic control of the ablation process.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Mathematics and Technology, University of Applied Sciences Koblenz, RheinAhrCampus Remagen, Suedallee 2, 53424, Remagen, Germany. henn@rheinahrcampus.de
authors.forename: Konrad
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Henn
authors.forename: Gail G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Gubaidullin
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bongartz
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wahrburg
authors.forename: Hubert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Roth
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kunkel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002102:Cadaver; D002417:Cattle; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D007834:Lasers; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000601:surgery; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D010949:Plasma / Q000737:chemistry*; D012371:Robotics; D013057:Spectrum Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D013552:Swine