Molecular operation on elastic fibers and cholesterol ester by a free-electron laser

Kunio Awazu; Seiji Ogino; Akio Nagai; Takio Tomimasu; Steven L. Jacques

doi:10.1117/12.297906

14 January 1998 Molecular operation on elastic fibers and cholesterol ester by a free-electron laser

Kunio Awazu, Seiji Ogino, Akio Nagai, Takio Tomimasu, Steven L. Jacques

Proceedings Volume 3195, Laser-Tissue Interaction, Tissue Optics, and Laser Welding III; (1998) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.297906
Event: BiOS Europe '97, 1997, San Remo, Italy

Abstract

A method has been found to selectively ablate cholesterol esters accumulated in an arteriosclerotic region of a rabbit artery without damaging the blood vessel using a free-electron laser (FEL). A FEL is a pulsed laser source that generates a beam by amplifying the coherent radiation emitted by an electron beam that is traveling through a periodically alternating magnetic field at a relativistic velocity. The characteristics of the FEL include a broadly tunable wavelength and ultra-short pulse width. We have found that FEL irradiation of a rabbit arterial wall for 1 min with a power of 1.5 mW can ablate cholesterol esters without damaging the elastic fibers of the arterial wall. The FEL was tuned to 5.75 micrometer, which is a wavelength that is absorbed by cholesterol ester. This method may be used as a non-invasive surgical procedure for the treatment of arteriosclerotic arteries.

Citation Download Citation

Kunio Awazu, Seiji Ogino, Akio Nagai, Takio Tomimasu, and Steven L. Jacques "Molecular operation on elastic fibers and cholesterol ester by a free-electron laser", Proc. SPIE 3195, Laser-Tissue Interaction, Tissue Optics, and Laser Welding III, (14 January 1998); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.297906

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