A new generation of smart laser medical systems and technologies has been extensively
studied and developed for application in most vital branches of medicine (cardio and
neurosurgery, oncology).
(1) Within the frameworks of laser and information technologies used in remote generation
of 3D objects and biomodeling, a unique technology has been developed and implemented
which allows making copies of human skeleton fragments, models of implants and accessories
for their fabrication by the method of laser-based computer stereolithography employing
the data presented by X-ray and NMR tomography, and transmitted via Internet from
various clinics. The developed technology has already found an application for producing
implants and scheduling operations of maxillofacial surgery, neurosurgery, and oncology
(more than 200 patients in 10 clinics of Russia).
(2) The developed approach to laser modification of nanoporous and polymer materials
has stimulated devising the techniques of producing 3D matrices of biopolymers by the
methods of laser sintering and supercritical processing.
(3) The specially manufactured high-power (1kW) waveguide CO2 laser has been
employed in studying the processes of laser perforation of various biological tissues and
blood filled organs. These investigations served as the basis for the development of a
smart laser medical system "Perfocor" and for its implementation into the clinical
practice to perform the operations of transmyocardial laser revascularization on the
heart. The system has no analogs in Russia and in Europe, and it has been certificated
by the RF Ministry of Health. In the period from 1997 to 2004, the system has been
successfully employed in more than 350 operations.
(4) The physicochemical and biomedical foundations of the new method of non-invasive
medicine - laser thermal plasty of cartilaginous tissue - have been elaborated.
It relies on the phenomenon of laser induced thermal relaxation of stresses in the
cartilaginous tissue, discovered at ILIT RAS. The new procedure is successfully
implemented in the clinical practice.
(5) A new technique of treatment of intervertebral disks degeneration with medium-intensity
IR laser radiation has been developed. This method is based on laser induced local thermal
regeneration of hyaline cartilage. It is successfully undergoing the clinical tests.
(6) A new method of Doppler spectroscopy was first suggested and developed to be applied
in diagnostics of biotissue evaporation with a laser. The method relies on the effect of
autodyne detection of radiation scattered back into the resonator of a CO2
laser from the irradiated area. The single-mode CO2 lasers of the power up
to 30W were used in studying the basic regularities of Doppler spectra formation for
a variety of biotissues in vitro having different structure and composition, and for
biological liquids. It was found that this diagnostics permits
a) obtaining the real-time information on the type of biotissue (identification)
exposed to laser radiation;
b) defining the moment of radiation change-over to the tissue of another type and
controlling the process of evaporation;
c) studying the mechanisms of high-intensity laser radiation interaction with real
biotissues being nonuniform multicomponent media. The obtained results have no home
and foreign analogs.
(7) A pilot surgical plant has been produced that belongs to the class of smart laser
systems capable of on-line controlling the process of biotissue evaporation by the
method of autodyne detection of backscattered radiation (based on CO2 laser
surgical apparatus "Lancet" developed at GUP "Instrument Design Office", Tula).
The on-line control system provides for the detection of autodyne signal jump in
laser radiation passage through the boundary layers of various tissues with further
issue of control actions on the control system of the surgical plant.
(8) An experimental investigation of the mechanisms of photosignal transmission in the
cell has been conducted. A model of cell-cell adhesion was used in studying the mechanisms
of transmission and enhancement of the signal at l=820 nm.
The participation of the respiratory chain enzymes at the initial stages of photosignal
transmission from the photoacceptor (cytochrome c oxidase) is shown. It has been found
out that the signal enhancement and transmission in the cell depends on the total
oxidation-reduction potential of the cell.
(9) Possible genetic effects of He-Ne laser radiation have been investigated. The
electron microscopy technique was employed in studying the metastructural changes in
mitochondria and nuclei of the yeast cell Torulopsis sphaerica whose precursors were
exposed to He-Ne laser light. It has been concluded that the genetic effects of He-Ne
laser radiation are due to mitochondrial DNA.
(10) A unique technology has been developed which permits the eye retina to be examined
by the method of active correction of eye aberrations. This technology allows practically
complete elimination of distortions and generation of retina images with the angular
size up to 15-20° and spatial resolution of 3 to 4 micron. The images are recorded
with the digital fundus camera of ultra-high resolution. The obtained data can be used
in scheduling and planning the operations on laser correction of vision, correct adjustment
of contact lenses, and in studies of pathologies.
The "Report on RAS activities in 2003" reflects the significant progress of ILIT RAS in
application of lasers in biomedicine.
The new methods of local modification of porous materials have been elaborated, which
rely on the application of supercritical media and on the formation and cleaning of
porous mineral-polymer composites with the purpose of producing the materials for
directed regeneration of bone tissue and new-generation implants (ILIT RAS).
The techniques have been devised for building the STF-format computer biological models
using the tomography data for medical applications, and a mineral-polymer composition
has been produced in order that biocompatible and bioactive implants having the structure
like that of bone tissue be made by the laser stereolithography method (ILIT RAS)
