Laser Surgery

Laser surgery allows surgeons to remove small amounts of lung tissue, and it is proving useful for improving symptoms in stage II and IIIA patients. Laser surgery may also be beneficial in treating cancers that have spread to, and are obstructing, the throat.

Types of lasers

There are 3 types of lasers used in treating cancers: 

• Carbon dioxide ( CO₂ ) lasers

        Can cut the skin’s surface without going into deeper layers. Thus, it can be used 
        to remove superficial cancers, such as skin cancer.

• Argon lasers

        Can cut the skin’s surface without going into deeper layers. Thus, it can be used 
        to remove superficial cancers, such as skin cancer. It is often used to activate 
        the drugs used in PDT.

• Neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) lasers

        Can also travel through optical fibers into specific areas of the body during 
        LITT. It is more commonly applied through an endoscope to treat internal 
        organs, such as the uterus, esophagus, and colon.

Pros and Cons

Pros :

• It is more precise than standard surgical tools (scalpels), so it does less damage to normal tissues. 
• Patients usually have less pain, bleeding, swelling, and scarring.
• Duration of operations are usually shorter. 
• Recovery period is short and patients are less likely to get infections.

Cons :

• Surgeons must have specialized training before they can do laser therapy, and strict safety precautions must be followed.
• It is expensive and requires bulky equipment.
• Its effect may not last long, so doctors may have to repeat the treatment for a patient to get the full benefit.

News about laser surgery for lung cancer : Click here to read!




Reference:
http://lungcancer.ucla.edu/adm_therapy_laser.html

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