Superpulsed lasers: minimizing thermal damage with short duration, high irradiance pulses.

Superpulsed carbon dioxide lasers emit a controlled train of short duration, high-power pulses which minimize the protein coagulation effects of the laser. Very high irradiances can be used with superb control of vaporization without significant peripheral heating. In incisional work, superpulsing permits the surgeon to advance the hand piece as slowly and as accurately as desired, while experiencing a fraction of the necrosis attendant to conventional continuous-wave lasers. In vaporizational applications, target tissue volumes are flash vaporized before significant heat can be transferred to surrounding tissue, promoting faster wound healing and reduced scarring. The superpulse feature may significantly change the way in which the carbon dioxide laser is used in cutaneous surgery.