title: Medical laser application: translation into the clinics.
abstract: Medical laser applications based on widespread research and development is a very dynamic and increasingly popular field from an ecological as well as an economic point of view. Conferences and personal communication are necessary to identify specific requests and potential unmet needs in this multi- and interdisciplinary discipline. Precise gathering of all information on innovative, new, or renewed techniques is necessary to design medical devices for introduction into clinical applications and finally to become established for routine treatment or diagnosis. Five examples of successfully addressed clinical requests are described to show the long-term endurance in developing light-based innovative clinical concepts and devices. Starting from laboratory medicine, a noninvasive approach to detect signals related to iron deficiency is shown. Based upon photosensitization, fluorescence-guided resection had been discovered, opening the door for photodynamic approaches for the treatment of brain cancer. Thermal laser application in the nasal cavity obtained clinical acceptance by the introduction of new laser wavelengths in clinical consciousness. Varicose veins can be treated by innovative endoluminal treatment methods, thus reducing side effects and saving time. Techniques and developments are presented with potential for diagnosis and treatment to improve the clinical situation for the benefit of the patient.
authors.affiliation: Laser-Forschungslabor, LIFE Center, University Hospital of Munich, Feodor-Lynen-Str 19, D-81377 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sroka
authors.affiliation: Laser-Forschungslabor, LIFE Center, University Hospital of Munich, Feodor-Lynen-Str 19, D-81377 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stepp
authors.affiliation: Laser-Forschungslabor, LIFE Center, University Hospital of Munich, Feodor-Lynen-Str 19, D-81377 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hennig
authors.affiliation: Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Children's Hospital of New York, Room CHN 10-08, 3959 Broadway, New York, New York 10032, United States.
authors.forename: Gary M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Brittenham
authors.affiliation: Laser-Forschungslabor, LIFE Center, University Hospital of Munich, Feodor-Lynen-Str 19, D-81377 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rühm
authors.affiliation: University of Toronto, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Medical Biophysics, 101 College Street 15-310, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada.
authors.forename: Lothar
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lilge
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D003677:Deficiency Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008297:Male; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D014648:Varicose Veins / Q000628:therapy