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Optical‐thermal simulation of tonsillar tissue irradiation
Author(s) -
Shah Rahul K.,
Nemati Babak,
Wang Lihong V.,
Shapshay Stanley M.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
lasers in surgery and medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1096-9101
pISSN - 0196-8092
DOI - 10.1002/lsm.1055
Subject(s) - laser , irradiation , materials science , tonsil , diode , thermal , optoelectronics , optics , biomedical engineering , medicine , surgery , physics , meteorology , nuclear physics
Background and Objective Despite laser applications targetted toward tonsillar tissue, there has been no characterization of underlying optical and thermal events during laser irradiation of tonsillar tissue. Study Design/Materials and Methods The optical properties of canine and human tonsils were determined at 805 nm (diode laser) and 1,064 nm (Nd:YAG laser). An optical‐thermal simulation was developed to predict the temperature rise in irradiated human tonsils. Results The optical properties of human and canine tonsillar tissue are similar at both wavelengths. The optical‐thermal simulation was validated and predicts that at 10 W and 1 minute of irradiation, the heat will be contained within the human tonsil. The diode laser causes more superficial heating than the Nd:YAG laser. Conclusions The safety of irradiating human tonsils was shown. The diode laser is superior to the Nd:YAG laser because less heat affects collateral structures. The optical‐thermal simulation detailed in this study can be used to predict the temperature rise in tissues undergoing irradiation. Lasers Surg. Med. 28:313–319, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.