SILVER-HALIDE FIBER OPTIC RADIOMETRIC TEMPERATURE-MEASUREMENT AND CONTROL OF CO2 LASER-IRRADIATED TISSUES AND APPLICATION TO TISSUE WELDING

Tissue heating by laser irradiation has attained importance in many cl inical applications. Accurate temperature measurements of laser-irradi ated tissues are difficult to achieve, and experiments have produced c onflicting results. Fiber optics radiometry allows temperature measure ment of laser-irradiated tissues by remote sensing of the emitted infr a red (IR) radiation. We have temperature measurements (+/- 0.2-degree s-C) and utilized it to monitor and control the heating of tissues by CO2 laser irradiation. Tissue developed an IR fiber optic radiometer c apable of accurate tissue temperature control of +/- 2.5-degrees-C was achieved. This system was used to control tissue temperature during C O2 laser-assisted welding of urinary bladders in rats. The strength of the welds was recorded for different welding temperatures. A temperat ure of 55-degrees-C was found to be optimal. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.