Use of fractional laser microablation of skin for improvement of its immersion clearing

摘要

We are proposing a new method for enhancement of optical clearing agent delivery into the skin using fractional laser microablation of the skin surface. The Palomar Lux2940 erbium laser with the wavelength 2940 nm and pulse duration of 5 ms was used as a light source. Two regimes of laser action were used in the experiments: the first one realized microablation of skin upper layer and the second one created microchannels in skin. As optical clearing agents mineral oil and PEG-300 were used. In vivo studies were carried out with white outbred rats. Both parameters: the permeability coefficient of the agents in the tissue and the optical probing depth were measured using the OCT system at a wavelength of 930 nm. The following values of the permeability coefficient of the skin with microablation were obtained: (3.41±0.46)×10~(-5) cm/s and (2.35±6.30)×10~(-5) cm/s for mineral oil and PEG-300, respectively, at the use of the surface microablation and (3.32±0.09)×10~(-5) cm/s and (3.61±0.34)×10~(-5) cm/s for mineral oil and PEG-300, respectively, at the use of the microporation. The results have shown that the joint application of mineral oil with microablation in the first regime promotes maximal (nearly 2-folds) increasing of optical probing depth in 30 min. Obtained data can be used for development of optical diagnostic methods of skin diseases.