TY - GEN
T1 - Novel microsphere chain fiber tips for use in mid-infrared ophthalmic laser surgery
AU - Hutchens, Thomas C.
AU - Darafsheh, Arash
AU - Fardad, Amir
AU - Antoszyk, Andrew N.
AU - Ying, Howard S.
AU - Astratov, Vasily N.
AU - Fried, Nathaniel M.
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - Ophthalmic surgery may benefit from the use of more precise fiber delivery systems for laser surgery. In this study, chains of sapphire microspheres integrated into the distal tip of a hollow waveguide are used for preliminary midinfrared, Erbium:YAG laser ablation studies in contact mode with ophthalmic tissues, ex vivo. The combination of the Er:YAG laser's short optical penetration depth and small spot diameters achieved with this novel fiber probe may provide more precise tissue removal. One, three, and five microsphere chain structures were assembled and compared, resulting in spot diameters of 67, 32, and 30 μm, respectively. Single laser pulses of 0.1 mJ energy and 75 μs duration produced craters with average widths of 44, 30, and 17 μm and depths of 26, 10, and 8 μm, for one, three, and five sphere structures, respectively. Chains of microspheres produced spatial filtering of the multimode Er:YAG laser beam and fiber, thus providing spot diameters not otherwise available for precise tissue ablation using conventional fiber delivery systems. With further probe development, this novel approach to mid-IR laser ablation may provide an alternative to mechanical tools for ultra-precise surgical dissection and removal of ophthalmic tissues.
AB - Ophthalmic surgery may benefit from the use of more precise fiber delivery systems for laser surgery. In this study, chains of sapphire microspheres integrated into the distal tip of a hollow waveguide are used for preliminary midinfrared, Erbium:YAG laser ablation studies in contact mode with ophthalmic tissues, ex vivo. The combination of the Er:YAG laser's short optical penetration depth and small spot diameters achieved with this novel fiber probe may provide more precise tissue removal. One, three, and five microsphere chain structures were assembled and compared, resulting in spot diameters of 67, 32, and 30 μm, respectively. Single laser pulses of 0.1 mJ energy and 75 μs duration produced craters with average widths of 44, 30, and 17 μm and depths of 26, 10, and 8 μm, for one, three, and five sphere structures, respectively. Chains of microspheres produced spatial filtering of the multimode Er:YAG laser beam and fiber, thus providing spot diameters not otherwise available for precise tissue ablation using conventional fiber delivery systems. With further probe development, this novel approach to mid-IR laser ablation may provide an alternative to mechanical tools for ultra-precise surgical dissection and removal of ophthalmic tissues.
KW - Erbium
KW - Germanium fiber
KW - Laser biomedical applications
KW - Microsphere
KW - Ophthalmic
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84861984309&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1117/12.905614
DO - 10.1117/12.905614
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84861984309
SN - 9780819488619
T3 - Progress in Biomedical Optics and Imaging - Proceedings of SPIE
BT - Optical Fibers and Sensors for Medical Diagnostics and Treatment Applications XII
T2 - Optical Fibers and Sensors for Medical Diagnostics and Treatment Applications XII
Y2 - 21 January 2012 through 22 January 2012
ER -