New tool combination: XeCl-excimer laser and tapered fiber enhances potential for atraumatic hard tissue operations.

XeCl excimer lasers have already been used to ablate bone, however, until now the results have been unsatisfactory until now. First, ablation of bone in air produced macroscopic noticeable carbonizations similar to those produced by thermal infrared lasers. Second, ablation rates were very low even on meniscus tissue. A new tool combination, XeCl excimer laser and tapered fibers, obtain higher ablation rates, because of its efficient light guiding capability. Using a liquid medium (water, normal saline solution) during laser application prevents macroscopic noticeable carbonizations.