Laser-produced plasmas in medicine

Summary Form only given, as follows. The authors have examined the characteristics of plasmas that are produced in laser medicine. In particular, they considered plasmas produced in laser lithotripsy (stone ablation and fragmentation by dye laser) and in ocular photodisruption (lens membrane destruction by Nd:YAG lasers following cataract surgery). Their interest was in what aspects of these plasmas make them useful to these applications. Experimental data were obtained along with hydro-code simulations of the phenomena. The simulations and experiments were in relatively good agreement with regard to plasma temperature, density, pressure, optical emission and evolution of cavitation bubbles. Emission and absorption spectra, material removal, and acoustic wave propagation were modeled as well.<>