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Updated: Jan 3, 2026
Focal Laser Ablation of Prostate Cancer: An Office Procedure
Published on: March 30, 2021
Dependence of laser-induced tissue ablation on optical fiber movements for laser prostatectomy
Hyun Wook Kang1, Benjamin B Choi2
1Department of Biomedical Engineering and Center for Marine-Integrated Biomedical Technology (BK21 Plus), Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea. wkang@pukyong.ac.kr.
Purpose:
The aim of the current study was to identify the efficient fiber movements for 532-nm laser prostatectomy.
Materials And Methods:
532-nm Lithium triborate (LBO) laser light was tested on 120 kidney tissues at three different translational speeds (TS 1, 2, and 4 mm/s) and four different rotational speeds (RS 0.5, 1.0, 1.6, and 2.1 rad/s). The applied power was 120 W at a 2-mm working distance and 60° sweeping angle. Ablation rate and dimensions of resulting ablation craters were measured.
Results:
Slower TSs and RSs created deeper and wider ablation craters with thinner coagulation, leading to more efficient ablation performance. Maximal ablation rate was achieved at a TS of 2 mm/s and RSs of 0.5 and 1.0 rad/s. An RS of 0.5 rad/s accompanied surface carbonization for all the TSs. Irrespective of TS, ablation rate became saturated at faster RSs than 1.0 rad/s. Faster TSs or RSs reduced tissue ablation, but increased thermal coagulation due to a shorter interaction time.
Conclusions:
Optimal ablation efficiency occurred at a TS of 2 mm/s and a RS of 1.0 rad/s with a thin coagulation of around 1.0 mm and no or minimal carbonization. Further studies will validate the current findings with prostate tissue and high-power levels for laser prostatectomy.
