Er:YAG laser ablation of tissue: effect of pulse duration and tissue type on thermal damage

The thermal damage caused by 2.94-micron Er:YAG laser ablation of skin, cornea, aorta, and bone was quantified. The zone of residual thermal damage produced by normal-spiking-mode pulses (pulse duration approximately 200 microseconds) and Q-switched pulses (pulse duration approximately 90 ns) was compared. Normal-spiking-mode pulses typically leave 10-50 microns of collagen damage at the smooth wall of the incisions; however, at the highest fluences (approximately 80J/cm2) tears were produced in cornea and aorta and as much as 100 microns of damaged collagen is found at the incision edge. Q-switched pulses caused less thermal damage, typically 5-10 microns of damage in all tissues.