LASERS IN MEDICINE - A REVIEW

Laser systems permit very high energy radiation of a single wavelength to be focused on a tiny spot, and have found application in many area s of engineering. They are also currently used in many branches of med icine. The fields reviewed here are ophthalmology, gynaecology, dermat ology, otolaryngology, gastroenterology and physiotherapy. Lasers whic h are in wide use for medical applications include argon, YAG and carb on dioxide types. In many areas, lasers have been found to be more eff ective than conventional treatment Methods with advantages including l ess blood loss, more accurate removal of unwanted tissue, shorter oper ating time and less PostoPerative pain. It is expected that the next d ecade will see the laser as an everyday tool in many more medical appl ications.