Comparison of diode laser in soft tissue surgery using continuous wave and pulsed modes in vitro

Abstract

In this study, the interaction between diode laser radiation and chicken soft tissue was studied in vitro by a high-speed digital video camera. We used a diode laser with a wavelength of (980 ± 10) nm and average power of 10 W. The diode laser was operated in continuous wave (CW) and pulsed modes. In CW mode, the average laser radiation power was 10 W; in pulsed mode, the average laser radiation power was 10 W and the peak power was 20 W. Diode laser radiation was delivered to soft tissue (chicken meat) using a quartz optical fiber with either a clear distal end (clear tip) or a distal end containing an optothermal converter (hot tip). Application of the diode laser in pulsed mode resulted in crater depths and areas of collateral damage in soft tissue about 1.6 times greater than those observed in CW mode at treatment with the clear tip. Significant differences in the crater depth and collateral damage width of chicken meat were not found after hot-tip treatment with the diode laser in CW and pulsed modes. Soft tissue treated with the hot tip showed crater depths about 3.4 times greater than those observed after treatment with the clear tip. Hot tip treatment further resulted in collateral damage widths about 2.7 times lower than those obtained after treatment with the clear tip.