Abstract

In the spring of 1980, we used a 200-W highpower cw Nd:YAG laser to vaporize and resect liver cancer in four cases, the first in the world. During the operation and treatment, hemorrhage was minimum, the healing of the wound good, and the result satisfactory. The laser beam was directed to the liver region of the patient by using an optical conducting device of jointed arms with an ensemble of four mirrors. Laser beam steering flexibility was restricted by such an optical conducting device. Recently we replaced the jointed arms by a fiber-optic cable to transmit the high-power laser beam, and the flexibility of laser beam delivery was greatly enhanced. We have continued to successfully use the fiber-optic cable in the treatment of human hepatic cancer.

© 1984 Optical Society of America