Medical LASER

Medical lasers are devices that emit a single, coherent wavelength of electromagnetic radiation, used clinically to cut, coagulate or ablate (destroy) tissue for a range of procedures. The word 'LASER' is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Because laser surgery uses non-ionising radiation, it does not carry the same long-term radiation risks associated with X-rays or other ionising sources. Ordinary light, such as from a light bulb, contains many different wavelengths and spreads out in all directions; laser light, by contrast, has one specific wavelength, travels as a narrow, tightly focused beam, and can be made extremely high-intensity as a result. Different laser systems are engineered to produce a variety of wavelengths, pulse durations and energy levels depending on the clinical task, and modern computer-based imaging and guidance systems let surgeons carry out laser procedures with great precision, speed and control. While lasers are most commonly used superficially, for skin (cutaneous) and eye (ocular) procedures, smaller, more efficient laser-delivery systems now also allow minimally invasive applications carried out through an endoscope, bronchoscope or laparoscope, and for sealing off veins (endovenous ablation). One well-known application is LASIK (laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis), a non-reversible refractive eye surgery performed by ophthalmologists to correct short-sightedness (myopia), lon …