THERMAL DAMAGE ANALYSIS OF LUMBAR INTERVERTEBRAL DISC DURING LASER SURGERY

The ND:YAG 1414[Formula: see text]nm laser is widely used for lumbar intervertebral disc laser surgery. However, the thermal damage caused by the laser irradiation on the disc tissue has not been studied yet. In this study, the thermal damage to the lumbar intervertebral disc is evaluated in terms of thermal damage parameter during laser surgery. The objective is to assess heat transfer and analyze temperature distribution in the treated area. Numerical modeling and finite element analysis were employed to simulate laser irradiation on the lumbar disc and determine the effect of various parameters such as laser power and irradiation time on thermal damage. A correlation between maximum allowable laser power and maximum allowable laser irradiation time was established. These findings can help improve the efficiency and reduce the side effects of lumbar intervertebral disc laser surgery.