A multimodal feedback system to improve the safety and precision of laser surgery

Advantages offered by laser technology include the ability to reinvent surgery; However, some challenges still need to be addressed. Feedback systems play an important role in ensuring the safety and accuracy of laser surgery. A recent study focused on the development of a multimodal feedback system to achieve a precise and safe surgical procedure.

The study, led by Arsham Hamidi, PhD, “Multimodal Feedback Systems for Smart Laser Osteotomy: Depth Control and Tissue Differentiation.” Study, published Lasers in Surgery and Medicine (LSM), American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, Inc. (ASLMS) Official Journal November 2023 Selected as Editors’ Choice.

Optical feedback systems were combined with the Er:YAG laser to improve the safety and accuracy of laser osteotomy (bone surgery). Feedback systems include a real-time visual monitoring system to control the depth of laser cuts and a tissue sensor that differentiates between different tissue types based on their chemical composition. Testing on pig femur models showed successful tissue differentiation and deep feedback without noticeable thermal damage or carbonization.

„The developed multimodal feedback system demonstrated high accuracy in tissue differentiation and depth control, indicating its potential to improve minimally invasive surgery” Hamidi said. „This system showed promising results in improving the safety and precision of laser surgery. This integrated approach warrants further research and development.”

Arsham Hamidi received his BSc in Physics from Arak University, Iran in 2014 and photonics degree from Iran’s Institute of Basic Sciences (IASBS Institute of Advanced Studies in Photonics) in 2017. He was driven by his interest in the application of optical technologies. In medicine, he pursued his PhD in biomedical engineering at the University of Basel in Switzerland. He focused on the development of various optical systems to improve the accuracy and safety of laser osteotomy (bone surgery). After completing his PhD in 2023, he began a postdoctoral position at the University of Basel. His main research interests focus on the development of optical systems for medical therapy and diagnosis, including optical coherence tomography (OCT), digital holography microscopy (DHM), super-resolution imaging, spectroscopy and AI-assisted optical technologies.

Source: https://www.aslms.org/