The ablation of ex vivo human samples of meniscus using the pulsed holmium:YAG (Ho:YAG) laser was studied. Delivery was by optical fiber in contact with the tissue. The rate of ablation was determined as (mm/pulse) for a range of pulse energies. Ablation with tissue in air versus under saline yielded similar rates of ablation, with the under-saline rate slightly higher. Experiments with two optical fiber sizes (200 µ m and 600 µ m) suggested that total pulse energy [J/pulse] rather than radiant exposure [J/cm 2 /pulse] may be the better predictor for ablation rate. For comparison, results of a study of continuous Nd:YAG laser ablation of chicken breast using two beam sizes are also presented which suggest that total beam power [W] rather than irradiance [W/cm 2 ] may be the better predictor for ablation rate. Comparison with the efficiency of simple boiling water indicates that laser ablation (both pulsed and continuous) is only about 10% as efficient as boiling water.
S. L. Jacques, J. A. Schwartz, G. Gofstein, C. T. Vangsness, "In vitro study of pulsed Ho:YAG laser meniscectomy," SPIE Proceedings of Laser Surgery: Advanced Characterization, Therapeutics, and Systems IV, edited by R. R. Anderson, 2128, 126-132 (1994).