The use of both Argon and Nd:YAG lasers through fiberoptic endoscopes has opened a new horizon for the medical use of lasers. Although initially advocated for emergency treatment of gastrointestinal bleeding, greater attention is currently focused on laser coagulation of vascular sources of chronic gastrointestinal blood loss. In addition, reports of palliation of neoplasms of the esophagus, stomach, colon-rectum, and bronchi are now commonplace. The newest frontier of endoscopic laser therapy relates to the early detection and potential cure of tumors utilizing photodynamic sensitizers (PDT) followed by selective laser destruction of the sensitized tumor tissue.
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