THE EFFECT OF HOLMIUM LASER-RADIATION ON STRESS, TEMPERATURE AND STRUCTURE OF CARTILAGE

It is difficult to permanently alter the shape of cartilage in a contr olled way. In otolaryngology and plastic surgery several procedures ar e done to alter the shape of cartilage, for example the correction of a deviated nasal septum and surgery for bat ears. The aim of this pape r is to study the main parameters which are necessary for the phenomen on of reshaping of cartilage under non:destructive laser radiation. We have measured temperature and stress in cartilage when it is being re shaped with a holmium laser, It has been shown that laser-induced stre ss relaxation in cartilage takes place when the tissue temperature exc eeds 70 degrees C. We have determined the conditions which allow the s hape of cartilage to be altered without producing any pronounced alter ation to matrix structure or chondrocytes.