Fundamentals of medical lasers

Medical lasers represent a unique opportunity to provide better health care, save costs within the health care system, and develop exciting business potential. The development of these opportunities entails unique challenges in communications and working relationships between the medical specialists and engineers to meld the understanding of clinical needs with the application of technology to solving those needs. In order to be successful in developing the exciting medical laser products of the future, a team approach between MD’s, engineers and others will be required. This paper provides a brief description of the medical laser market, laser-tissue interaction fundamentals, surgical laser products, and current developments in medical lasers as a basis for understanding the need for the team approach, and the resources which must be applied to developing successful medical laser products.