Noninvasive thermal coagulation of deep subsurface tissue structures using a laser probe with integrated contact cooling.

Cooling methods are used during cosmetic laser surgery to preserve a superficial layer of the skin surface. This study investigates contact cooling for sparing a deeper layer of the tissue surface during laser irradiation of subsurface tissues, with the goal of developing noninvasive laser therapy applications beyond cosmetic surgery. A laser probe was designed and tested for simultaneous laser irradiation and contact cooling of liver tissue, ex vivo. Gross and histologic examination was used to quantify thermal lesion dimensions. Liver lesions of 5.8-mm-diameter were created, while preserving the tissue surface to a depth of 1.5 mm. In vivo animal studies are planned to optimize the laser and cooling parameters for potential clinical applications.