LASER-ASSISTED MACHINING (LAM) OF HARD TISSUES AND BONES

摘要

An apparatus and method for laser-assisted machining (LAM) of bone without raising the temperature of the surrounding bone is discussed. The method of LAM of bone involves determining a target bone needing to be machined an then scanning a high power density laser beam along the bone at a machining rate that produces low-heat affected zones (HAZ) on the target bone. The process and apparatus is advantageous over conventional technologies because it provides a chemically clean, coherent, and monochromatic beam to the region to be machined.

主权项

1. A method of laser-assisted machining of a bone, comprising the steps of:
a) determining a target bone volume to be machined; b) calculating a temperature-dependent material properties of the target bone volume to be machined; c) scanning a focused laser beam along a surface area axis of the target bone volume at a machining rate; and d) ejecting a bone residue from the determined target bone volume creating a machined void in the bone; wherein the machining rate is determined from a laser power output, the target bone volume, a diameter of the focused laser beam, a laser scanning speed, a residence time, and a laser energy density (LED); and wherein the focused laser beam provides a narrow beam with a high power density and having low heat affected zones on the target bone volume; and wherein a governing equation for a whole geometry boundary conditions of the target bone volume is:ρcp[∂T∂t]=k[(∂2T∂x2)+(∂2T∂y2)] wherein, x is an X-coordinate in a three dimensional space (m); y is a Y-coordinate in a three dimensional space (m); ρ is Density (kg/m3); Cp is specific heat at constant pressure (J/kg·K); T is Temperature (K, Kelvin); t is Time (s, seconds) and k is thermal conductivity (W/m·K).