title: Ex vivo laser lipolysis assisted with radially diffusing optical applicator.
abstract: Laser-assisted lipolysis has been implemented to reduce body fat in light of thermal interactions with adipose tissue. However, using a flat fiber with high irradiance often needs rapid cannula movements and even undesirable thermal injury due to direct tissue contact. The aim of the current study was to explore the feasibility of a radially diffusing optical applicator to liquefy the adipose tissue for effective laser lipolysis. The proposed diffuser was evaluated with a flat fiber in terms of temperature elevation and tissue liquefaction after laser lipolysis with a 980-nm wavelength. Given the same power (20 W), the diffusing applicator generated a 30% slower temperature increase with a 25% lower maximum temperature (84±3.2°C in 1 min; p<0.001) in the tissue, compared with the flat fiber. Under the equivalent temperature development, the diffuser induced up to fivefold larger area of the adipose liquefaction due to radial light emission than the flat fiber. Ex vivo tissue tests for 5-min irradiation demonstrated that the diffuser (1.24±0.15  g) liquefied 66% more adipose tissue than the flat fiber (0.75±0.05  g). The proposed diffusing applicator can be a feasible therapeutic device for laser lipolysis due to low temperature development and wide coverage of thermal treatment.
authors.affiliation: Pukyong National University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jieun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Pukyong National University, Interdisciplinary Program of Marine-Bio, Electrical & Mechanical Engineering, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Nguyen Trung
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Hau
authors.affiliation: University of California, Molecular Environmental Biology, Berkeley, California 95124, United States.
authors.forename: Sung Yeon
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Dankook University, Beckman Laser Institute Korea, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yun-Hee
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Rhee
authors.affiliation: Dankook University, Department of Biomedical Science, College of Medicine and Medical Laser Research Center, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jin-Chul
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.affiliation: Pukyong National University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Busan 48513, Republic of KoreabPukyong National University, Interdisciplinary Program of Marine-Bio, Electrical & Mechanical Engineering, Busan 48513, Republic of KoreafPukyong National Un.
authors.forename: Hyun Wook
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects; D004058:Diffusion; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D007834:Lasers; D008066:Lipolysis