# Experimental Evaluation of Different Optical Fibers for Micro-Invasive Soft-Tissue Ablation with a 1064 nm Diode Laser System

## TL;DR

This study compares different optical fibers for soft-tissue ablation using a 1064 nm laser to find the best options for minimally invasive medical procedures.

## Contribution

The study experimentally evaluates fiber characteristics for soft-tissue ablation, providing a reference for biomedical laser design.

## Key findings

- Fiber core diameter, numerical aperture, and tip geometry significantly influence ablation dimensions and thermal profiles.
- Certain fiber configurations are suitable for minimally invasive prostate applications.
- The study provides a quantitative framework for selecting and designing optical fibers for laser ablation.

## Abstract

What are the main findings?
Comparison of different optical fibers for soft-tissue laser ablation.Light diffusion by a balloon catheter with hydroxyapatite powder.

Comparison of different optical fibers for soft-tissue laser ablation.

Light diffusion by a balloon catheter with hydroxyapatite powder.

What are the implications of the main findings?
A quantitative reference framework for selecting and designing optical fibers.Circumferential ablation in confined anatomical spaces.

A quantitative reference framework for selecting and designing optical fibers.

Circumferential ablation in confined anatomical spaces.

This study presents an experimental evaluation of different optical fibers for soft-tissue laser ablation using an Echolaser system, developed by Elesta S.p.A., for minimally invasive therapies. Eight fibers with varying core diameters, numerical apertures, and tip geometries (flat, conical radial, and spherical) were compared to investigate the influence of optical properties on the ablation dimensions and thermal profiles. The experiments were conducted at 1064 nm with powers of 3, 5, and 7 W and delivered energies ranging from 1200 to 3600 J. The results highlight how the fiber characteristics affect tissue ablation, identifying the configurations suitable for minimally invasive prostate applications. These findings provide an experimental reference for the development of laser-based biomedical approaches.