Laser-Induced Hydrodynamics in Water and Biotissues Nearby Optical Fiber Tip

This paper is aimed at revealing the mechanisms of therapeutic effects stimulated by a medium power (1–10 W) fiber laser induced hydrodynamics in water-saturated bio-tissues. Modern laser medical technologies widely employ delivery of laser light to irradiated tissues via optical fibers. Optical fiber easily penetrates through needle and endoscopic channels, and laser light can be delivered through a fiber for puncture and endoscopic operations. Several laser medical technologies (puncture multichannel laser decompression of disc, laser intervention upon osteochondrosis, surgical treatment of chronic osteomyelitis, endovenous laser ablation, etc.) are based on effective hydrodynamic processes in water-saturated biotissues. These hydrodynamic processes trigger cellular response and regenerative effects through the specific mechanisms of mechano-biology. In this work, we consider different kinds of effects stimulated by a medium power laser-induced hydrodynamics in the vicinity of a fiber tip surface, in particular, generation of vapor-gas bubbles, fiber tip degradation, and generation of intense acoustic waves. Presence of strongly absorbed agents (in a form of Ag nanoparticles, in particular) in laser irradiated water nearby optical fiber tip results in appearance of pronounced filamentary structures of these agents.