Abstract
The ablation rate and thermal damage in skin produced by a superpulsed CO2 laser operating at pulse repetition rates between 1 and 900 Hz was measured. When delivering a fixed number of pulses (20 or 30) of equal energy, a 55-60% increase in the amount of tissue ablated was observed when the pulse repetition rate rose from 10 to 200 Hz. At pulse repetition rates greater than 200 Hz no further increase was seen. Under identical conditions, an 80% increase in the zone of thermal damage was observed when the pulse repetition rate was increased from 1 to 60 Hz. The large increases in tissue ablation and tissue damage may indicate the existence of a layer of mixed-phase (i.e., liquid and vapor) or metastable liquid which can store significant amounts of thermal energy between pulses. The data suggest that CO2 lasers should be operated at relatively low repetition rates for optimal performance.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
