Features of gallstone and kidney stone fragmentation by IR-pulsed Nd:YAG laser radiation

Sergei A. Batishche

doi:10.1117/12.209089

12 May 1995 Features of gallstone and kidney stone fragmentation by IR-pulsed Nd:YAG laser radiation

Sergei A. Batishche

Proceedings Volume 2395, Lasers in Surgery: Advanced Characterization, Therapeutics, and Systems V; (1995) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.209089
Event: Photonics West '95, 1995, San Jose, CA, United States

Abstract

It is shown that infra-red ((lambda) equals 1064 nm) long pulse (approximately 100 microsecond(s) ) radiation of YAG:Nd laser, operating in free generation regime, effectively fragments gallstones, urinary calculus and kidney stones. The features of the mechanism of this process are investigated. Laser lithotripsy is nowadays a method widely used for fragmentation of gallstones, urinary calculus and kidney stones. Flashlamp pumped dye lasers of microsecond duration are most often used for such purposes. Nevertheless, there are some reports on lithotripsies with nanosecond duration laser pulses (for example, Q-switched YAG:Nd laser). The mechanism of the laser fragmentation of such stones was supposed to be the next. The laser powerful radiation, delivered through the optical fiber, is absorbed by the material of the stone. As a result of such highly localized energy absorption, dense plasma is formed, which expands. Such plasma and vapor, liquid confined, forms a cavitation bubble. This bubble grows, reaches its most dimension and then collapses on itself in some hundreds of micro seconds. Shock waves generated during the growth and the collapse of these bubbles are the origin of fragmentation of the stone. It is necessary to say that there are rather confined data on the hundreds microsecond laser pulse fragmentation especially what concerns the usage of infra-red (IR) YAG:Nd lasers with long laser pulses. Clearing this problem would result in better understanding of the fragmentation mechanism and it could favor development of simple and more reliable laser systems for lithotripsy. In this work we report about investigation of features of an effective fragmentation of gallstones, urinary calculus and kidney stones under exposure of IR ((lambda) equals 1064 nm) radiation of repetitive YAG:Nd laser working in free generation regime.

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Sergei A. Batishche "Features of gallstone and kidney stone fragmentation by IR-pulsed Nd:YAG laser radiation", Proc. SPIE 2395, Lasers in Surgery: Advanced Characterization, Therapeutics, and Systems V, (12 May 1995); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.209089

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