Preliminary results on the approval of a switchable 1064/532 nm laser

Lasers for medical applications can be classified into five interaction groups (Table 1): - photochemical interaction - thermal interaction/coagulation - cutting / vaporisation - photoablation - electromechanical interaction / disruption Each interaction mechanism has typical interaction times and power levels. Typical laser systems are established within each field. Tissue coagulation is done on the time scale of 0.01 - 10 seconds with continuouswave (cw) lasers. Depending on the penetration depth needed a laser in the green, near infrared or for infrased region in used. For 10.6 jm (CO2 -laser) the penetration depth is so small, that even medium intensities effect vaporisation (Fig. 1).