New laser from Basel cuts precisely through bone
Published: Tuesday, Dec 5th 2023, 11:21
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Laser instead of bone saw: A Basel research team has developed a new laser system that cuts bones, controls the cutting depth and distinguishes between different tissues, as the University of Basel announced on Tuesday.
According to the university, this is an important contribution to the safe and precise use of lasers. Until now, lasers have only been used selectively in surgery due to safety concerns.
In a first step, the new system developed by the Basel researchers creates a kind of map of the area surrounding the planned incision. A laser scans the various tissues and recognizes where bone and soft tissue are located. Only in the second step does the laser system finally cut through the bone. The laser uses the previously created tissue map as a guide. At the same time, the system measures the cutting depth and checks that the cut is not deeper than planned.
Tested on pig bones
The researchers tested their system on pig bones and tissue. In a study published in the journal "Lasers in Surgery and Medicine", they showed that their laser system cuts with an accuracy of fractions of a millimeter.
According to the researchers, lasers will be increasingly used in operations in the future. Non-contact cutting could potentially reduce the risk of infection. Smaller and more precise incisions could lead to the tissue healing faster, according to the press release.
Cutting bones with lasers in a controlled manner also makes it possible to use new cutting shapes, for example to physically interlock a bone implant with the existing bone, the university added.
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