Shedding light: laser physics and mechanism of action

2010 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
E De Felice
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Side Effects ◽  
Laser Physics ◽  
Clinical Applications ◽  
Venous Disease ◽  
Laser Operation ◽  
Laser Safety ◽  
Laser Technology ◽  
Fundamental Knowledge ◽  
Safety Procedures

Lasers have affected health care in many ways. Clinical applications have been found in a number of medical and surgical specialities. In particular, applications of laser technology in phlebology has made it essential for vein physicians to obtain a fundamental knowledge of laser physics, laser operation and also to be well versed in laser safety procedures. This article reviews recommended text books and current literature to detail the basics of laser physics and its application to venous disease. Laser safety and laser side effects are also discussed.

scholarly journals Clinical Applications of Laser Technology: Laser Balloon Ablation in the Management of Atrial Fibrillation

Micromachines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 188
Author(s):  
Jamario R. Skeete ◽  
Jeanne M. Du-Fay-de-Lavallaz ◽  
David Kenigsberg ◽  
Carlos Macias ◽  
Jeffrey R. Winterfield ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Laser Energy ◽  
Clinical Applications ◽  
Ablation Techniques ◽  
Cryoballoon Ablation ◽  
Laser Technology ◽  
Balloon Ablation ◽  
Established Role ◽  
Laser Balloon Ablation ◽  
Laser Balloon

Catheter-based ablation techniques have a well-established role in atrial fibrillation (AF) management. The prevalence and impact of AF is increasing globally, thus mandating an emphasis on improving ablation techniques through innovation. One key area of ongoing evolution in this field is the use of laser energy to perform pulmonary vein isolation during AF catheter ablation. While laser use is not as widespread as other ablation techniques, such as radiofrequency ablation and cryoballoon ablation, advancements in product design and procedural protocols have demonstrated laser balloon ablation to be equally safe and effective compared to these other modalities. Additionally, strategies to improve procedural efficiency and decrease radiation exposure through low fluoroscopy protocols make this technology an increasingly promising and exciting option.

scholarly journals From virtual to real healing: a critical overview of the therapeutic use of virtual reality to cope with mourning

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Francesca Maria Pizzoli ◽  
Dario Monzani ◽  
Laura Vergani ◽  
Virginia Sanchini ◽  
Ketti Mazzocco
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Side Effects ◽  
Virtual Environments ◽  
Therapeutic Use ◽  
Health Care Needs ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
South Korean ◽  
Critical Overview

AbstractIn recent years, virtual reality (VR) has been effectively employed in several settings, ranging from health care needs to leisure and gaming activities. A new application of virtual stimuli appeared in social media: in the documentary ‘I met you’ from the South-Korean Munhwa Broadcasting, a mother made the experience of interacting with the avatar of the seven-year-old daughter, who died four years before. We think that this new application of virtual stimuli should open a debate on its possible implications: it represents contents related to grief, a dramatic and yet natural experience, that can have deep psychological impacts on fragile subjects put in virtual environments. In the present work, possible side-effects, as well as hypothetical therapeutical application of VR for the treatment of mourning, are discussed.

scholarly journals Implantable Polymeric Drug Delivery Devices: Classification, Manufacture, Materials, and Clinical Applications

Polymers ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1379 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Stewart ◽  
Juan Domínguez-Robles ◽  
Ryan Donnelly ◽  
Eneko Larrañeta
Keyword(s):  
Drug Delivery ◽  
Side Effects ◽  
Patient Compliance ◽  
Oral Delivery ◽  
Oral Route ◽  
Clinical Applications ◽  
Drug Concentrations ◽  
Effective Delivery ◽  
Materials Used ◽  
Drug Delivery Devices

The oral route is a popular and convenient means of drug delivery. However, despite its advantages, it also has challenges. Many drugs are not suitable for oral delivery due to: first pass metabolism; less than ideal properties; and side-effects of treatment. Additionally, oral delivery relies heavily on patient compliance. Implantable drug delivery devices are an alternative system that can achieve effective delivery with lower drug concentrations, and as a result, minimise side-effects whilst increasing patient compliance. This article gives an overview of classification of these drug delivery devices; the mechanism of drug release; the materials used for manufacture; the various methods of manufacture; and examples of clinical applications of implantable drug delivery devices.

Diagnosis as a Detriment: A Cognitive Approach to Understanding the Depressive Experience

2015 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evan Hy Einstein
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Theoretical Model ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
Cognitive Model ◽  
Clinical Applications ◽  
Psychotropic Medications ◽  
Cognitive Mechanisms ◽  
Cognitive Approach ◽  
The Brain

Depression is currently understood within a biomedical paradigm. This paradigm is an example of reductionism; people are clinically diagnosed and categorized based on behavior and affect, while they are then prescribed psychotropic medications based on an inconclusively correlated neurotransmitter imbalance in the brain. In this article, clinical diagnosis and labeling are explored with respect to their detrimental potential. A framework of embodied cognition is used to conceptualize a cognitive model of depressive experience. This theoretical model explores the potentially self-reinforcing cognitive mechanisms behind a depressive experience, with the goal of highlighting the possibility of diagnosis as a detrimental influence on these mechanisms. The aim of this article is to further a discussion about our current mental health care paradigm and provide an explanation as to how it could cause harm to some. Clinical applications of the model are also discussed pertaining to the potential of rendering formal dichotomist diagnoses irrelevant to the ultimate goal of helping people feel better.

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