Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41634300›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2026

Influence of laser beam intensity profile on deep bone ablation in laser osteotomy.

Mingyi Liu, Arsham Hamidi, Dunia Blaser, Darren Wilson, Kenneth Garcia, Niklaus F Friederich, Georg Rauter, Philippe C Cattin, Ferda Canbaz

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Trial
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Mingyi LiuDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Center for Intelligent Optics (CIO), University of Basel, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland. mingyi.liu@unibas.ch.
Arsham HamidiDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Center for Intelligent Optics (CIO), University of Basel, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland.
Dunia BlaserDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Center for Intelligent Optics (CIO), University of Basel, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland.
Darren WilsonSmith and Nephew, Registered in England and Wales No. 605496 with Registered Office, 101 Hessle Road, PO Box 81, Hull, HU3 2BN, UK.
Kenneth GarciaSmith and Nephew Schweiz AG, Theilerstrasse 1A, 6300, Zug, Switzerland.
Niklaus F FriederichDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Center of Biomechanics and Biocalorimetry (COB), University of Basel, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland.
Georg RauterBio-Inspired RObots for MEDicine Laboratory (BIROMED-Lab), Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Basel, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland.
Philippe C CattinDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Center for medical Image Analysis & Navigation (CIAN), University of Basel, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland.
Ferda CanbazDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Center for Intelligent Optics (CIO), University of Basel, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland. ferda.canbaz@unibas.ch.

Funding

Innosuisse - Schweizerische Agentur für Innovationsförderung 112.465 IP-LSWerner Siemens-Stiftung MIRACLE II
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Laser osteotomy offers high precision and contact-free bone cutting but remains limited by slower cutting speeds and shallower ablation depths compared to mechanical tools. In this study, we systematically investigated the influence of spatial beam intensity distribution on bone ablation performance by comparing Er:YAG laser with tophat and Gaussian intensity distribution under identical operating conditions. Using bovine femur cortical bone and optimized water-air cooling, the tophat intensity distribution achieved a maximum ablation depth of 44.51 mm and a maximum average material removal rate of 0.42 mm[Formula: see text]/s, outperforming the Gaussian intensity distribution (26.51 mm, 0.24 mm[Formula: see text]/s). In dry surface ablation, the tophat profile reached 1.58 mm[Formula: see text]/s±0.04 mm[Formula: see text]/s, though with increased carbonization. Compared to previously reported Er:YAG outcomes under optimized ablation conditions, the cutting depth achieved in this work represents more than a twofold improvement, bringing performance close to the planar cut dimensions required during distal femur resurfacing of a total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Scanning electron microscopy and Raman analyzes confirmed minimal compositional change after laser ablation, indicating minimal thermal damage. A steady-state model was utilized to characterize the ablation process and determine the theoretical maximum ablation depth. These findings demonstrate clear ex vivo improvements by using a tophat profile in Er:YAG systems, which have the potential for clinical adoption.

Indexed as

FemurLaser TherapyOsteotomyAnimalsCattleLasers, Solid-StateGaussian intensity distributionLaser ablationLaser–tissue interactionsTophat intensity distribution

Identifiers

PMID41634300
PMCPMC12920744

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.