Planning and simulation of microsurgical laser bone ablation

• Published in: International journal for computer assisted radiology and surgery Vol. 5; no. 2; pp. 155 - 162
• Main Authors: Kahrs, Lüder Alexander, Burgner, Jessica, Klenzner, Thomas, Raczkowsky, Jörg, Schipper, Jörg, Wörn, Heinz
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.03.2010
• Subjects: Bone and Bones - surgery; Computer Imaging; Computer Science; Health Informatics; Humans; Imaging; Laser Therapy; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Microscopy, Confocal; Microsurgery - methods; Original Article; Osteotomy - methods; Pattern Recognition and Graphics; Radiology; Surgery; Surgery, Computer-Assisted; Vision; Hard tissue ablation; Ablation modeling; Cochleostomy; Confocal microscopy; laser; CO
• ISSN: 1861-6410; 1861-6429
• DOI: 10.1007/s11548-009-0303-4

Purpose Laser ablation of hard tissue is not completely understood until now and not modeled for computer-assisted microsurgery. A precise planning and simulation is an essential step toward the usage of microsurgical laser bone ablation in the operating room. Methods Planning the volume for laser bone ablation is based on geometrical definitions. Shape and volume of the removed bone by single laser pulses were measured with a confocal microscope for modeling the microsurgical ablation. To remove the planned volume and to achieve smooth surfaces, a simulation of the laser pulse distribution is developed. Results The confocal measurements show a clear dependency from laser energy and resulting depth. Two-dimensional Gaussian functions are fitting in these craters. Exemplarily three ablation layers were planned, simulated, executed and verified. Conclusions To model laser bone ablation in microsurgery the volume and shape of each laser pulse should be known and considered in the process of ablation planning and simulation.