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Laser therapy
Laser therapy is a medical treatment that uses a strong beam of light to cut, burn, or destroy tissue. The term LASER stands for "Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation."
Information
The laser light beam does not pose health risks to the patient or medical team. Laser treatment has the same risks as open surgery, including pain, bleeding, and scarring. But recovery time from laser surgery is usually faster than recovery from open surgery.
Lasers can be used for many medical purposes. Because the laser beam is so small and precise, it allows health care providers to safely treat tissue without injuring the surrounding area.
Lasers are often used to:
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Treat varicose veins
Treat varicose veins
Varicose veins are swollen, twisted, painful veins that have filled with blood.
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Improve vision during
eye surgery on the cornea
Eye surgery on the cornea
LASIK is eye surgery that permanently changes the shape of the cornea (the clear covering on the front of the eye). It is done to improve vision and...
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Repair a detached retina of the eye
Repair a detached retina of the eye
Retinal detachment repair is eye surgery to place a retina back into its normal position. The retina is the light-sensitive tissue in the back of th...
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Remove the prostate
Remove the prostate
Minimally invasive prostate resection is surgery to remove part of the prostate gland. It is done to treat an enlarged prostate. The surgery will i...
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Remove kidney stones
Remove kidney stones
Lithotripsy is a procedure that uses shock waves to break up stones in the kidney, bladder, or ureter (tube that carries urine from your kidneys to y...
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Remove
tumors
Tumors
A tumor is an abnormal growth of body tissue. Tumors can be cancerous (malignant) or noncancerous (benign).
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Lasers are also often used during skin surgery .
Skin surgery
Laser surgery uses laser light to remove diseased tissues or treat bleeding blood vessels. Laser surgery may also be used to remove wrinkles, sunspo...
References
Atebara NH, Thall EH. Principles of lasers. In: Yanoff M, Duker JS, eds. Ophthalmology . 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Mosby; 2014:chap 2.4.
Neumayer L, Vargo D. Principles of preoperative and operative surgery: surgical devices and energy sources. In: Townsend CM, Beauchamp RD, Evers BM, Mattox KL, eds. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery . 19th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2012:chap 11.
Sakamoto FH, Avram MM, Anderson RR. Lasers and other energy technologies: principles and skin interactions. In: Bolognia JL, Jorizzo JL, Schaffer JV, eds. Dermatology . 3rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2012:chap 136.
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Laser therapy - illustration
A laser is used for many medical purposes. Because the laser beam is so small and precise, it enables physicians to safely treat specific tissue without injuring surrounding tissue. Some uses of the laser are retinal surgery, excision of lesions, and cauterization of vascular structures.
Laser therapy
illustration
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Laser therapy - illustration
A laser is used for many medical purposes. Because the laser beam is so small and precise, it enables physicians to safely treat specific tissue without injuring surrounding tissue. Some uses of the laser are retinal surgery, excision of lesions, and cauterization of vascular structures.
Laser therapy
illustration
Review Date: 7/28/2015
Reviewed By: Debra G. Wechter, MD, FACS, general surgery practice specializing in breast cancer, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
