(2000). Laser Reshaping of Cartilage. Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Reviews: Vol. 17, No. 1, pp. 553-578.

In the context of the development of emerging laser-assisted thermo-mechanical technologies for non-destructive reshaping of avascular collagenous tissues (cartilages and cornea), we report the first application of phase-sensitive optical coherence tomography (OCT) for visualizing transient strains involving supra-wavelength inter-frame displacements of scatterers. Usually phase-sensitive OCT assumes the visualization of sub-pixel and even sub-wavelength displacements of scatterers and fairly small strains (say, <10⁻³), which conventionally implies the necessity of averaging for enhancing the effective signal-to-noise ratio and, correspondingly, the application of small-amplitude actuators producing periodic deformations. The original approach used here allows for direct estimation of elevated strains ~10⁻² (close to onset of intense speckle blinking) obviating the necessity of averaging and phase unwrapping for supra-wavelength inter-frame displacements. We demonstrate the possibility of mapping aperiodic thermally-induced transient strains with resultant large deformations on order of tens per cent. Such strains are typical in laser tissue reshaping, but are far beyond the range of conventionally discussed OCT-based strain mapping.

Laser modelling of costal cartilage implants (grafts) of a given shape is a new promising technology in laser medicine. When the final shape of an implant is formed with a surgical scalpel, residual stresses lead to the distortion of the implant and decrease its survivability after the surgery. Laser-induced relaxation of the interstitial residual stresses without disturbing tissue functionality opens new possibilities for a wide range of implantology problems. This article is devoted to a new laser method of treatment of laryngeal stenosis using laser-modelled costal cartilage grafts for the closure of laryngotracheal defect in patients. The paper discusses the physical ground of the applied laser modes when the stresses at the graft borders are minimal which provides positive impact on the survival of the laser-modelled cartilage. The results of the first clinical application of this method are presented.