Isotopic co2 laser for medical treatment

摘要

A medical treatment laser is disclosed that minimizes absorption of laser energy along the beam path by using a lasing medium having a principal emission at a wavelength shifted from the absorption wavelength. In the preferred embodiment, a CO.sub.2 laser filled with the .sup.13 C. sup.16 O.sub.2 isotope is used. The .sup.13 C.sup.16 O.sub.2 isotope generates a laser beam having a principal emission wavelength near 11.2 microns. The absorption of this wavelength in the conventional CO.sub.2 purge and insufflation gases is quite small compared to the absorption of the 10.59 micron wavelength emitted by the standard CO.sub. 2 isotope. The difference in absorption allows the power generated by the laser to be maximally transmitted to the medical treatment site. In addition, the 11. 2 micron line has a greater coefficient of absorption in human tissue, thereby enhancing surgery.