laser surgery
Many people are familiar with the use of lasers in corrective eye surgery, however lasers have a much wider range of applications throughout medicine. They can be used to diagnose illnesses as well as provide treatments for health conditions such as Alzheimer's and cancer or for performing cosmetic enhancements of the skin.
Medical lasers work on the principle of delivering heat. They are used to accurately ablate tissue in a region that is smaller than the sharp end of a pin. With variable heat intensity they are a very gentle way of removing tissue in a non-invasive way or can be used more aggressively in tackling more troublesome tissue.
Laser surgery is currently used in different parts of the body to reduce tumours and in some cases to completely remove them. The heat from the laser ablates tumour tissue, so reducing its size. This is a well-practised procedure in the treatment of oesophageal cancer, where a tumour could fatally block the airways. A similar procedure is also being used to treat tumours in the gut.
Research into laser surgery is ongoing around the world. New diagnostic techniques and treatments using lasers are continuously being explored, including those that will help early detection of cancer.
For more information on laser surgery please review the resources on our site.