MicroPulse™ Information
MicroPulse Applications
Using MicroPulse for laser trabeculoplasty (MLT) offers a tissue-sparing technology for the reduction of intraocular pressure. Unlike conventional laser trabeculoplasty procedures, there is no destructive, coagulative damage to the meshwork.
Used in the retina, MicroPulse settings extend the aspects of tissue-sparing applications to treatments otherwise performed with conventional photocoagulation. DME, CSR, and even PRP are areas where MicroPulse technology can be utilized.
MicroPulse Basics
MicroPulse is a laser delivery modality that adds finer control of photothermal effects in laser photocoagulation. In conventional photocoagulation, the temperature rise for an intended intraoperative endpoint is controlled by adjusting the power and the exposure duration of the continuous-wave (CW) laser emission.
With MicroPulse, the steady CW emission is “chopped” into a train of short laser pulses, whose “width” (“ON” time) and “interval” (“OFF” time) are adjustable by the surgeon. A shorter MicroPulse “width” limits the time for the laser-induced heat to spread to adjacent tissues, thus providing fine control of energy delivered. A longer MicroPulse “interval” between pulses allows cooling to take place before the next pulse is delivered.
MicroPulse (low duty cycle). Very little thermal spread can occur due to the extended “OFF” time between each MicroPulse. Tissue is allowed to return to baseline temperature before the arrival of the next pulse.
MicroPulse (medium duty cycle). Doubling the “width” of the pulse, doubles the energy deposited, increases the heat spread during the “ON” time, reduces the cooloff time, but can still avoid cumulative thermal build-up.
MicroPulse (high duty cycle). More energy is deposited with more thermal spread during the “ON” time and some thermal build-up due to the shorter cool-off time before the next pulse.
CW Pulse (100% duty cycle). The thermal rise and re-equilibration can only be controlled by adjusting the power and the exposure duration of the CW laser emission.