4.5 centimeters New laser cuts bones significantly deeper than before
A research team at the University of Basel has developed a laser that can cut bones significantly deeper than previous systems. Instead of using more energy, the researchers changed the shape of the laser beam - with measurable success.
26.02.2026, 08:30
26.02.2026, 10:38
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- Researchers at the University of Basel achieved a cutting depth of 4.5 centimetres in the bone with a newly shaped laser beam.
- This was made possible by a so-called "top-hat" profile, which distributes the energy more evenly than the previous Gaussian profile.
- The process is still too slow for clinical use, as mechanical saws work much faster.
A new laser cuts bone deeper than ever before. Researchers at the University of Basel have achieved a cutting depth of 4.5 centimeters by modifying the laser beam. Previous bone cutting lasers only reach two to three centimeters.
In the future, lasers could complement conventional tools such as saws or chisels in bone surgery, as the University of Basel writes in a press release on Thursday. They enable very precise, non-contact cuts and can reduce the risk of microcracks in the bone. Until now, however, their use in hard tissue has been limited, as the cutting depth of two to three centimeters that can be achieved is not sufficient for many applications, such as joint implants.
A research team led by Ferda Canbaz from the University of Basel has now succeeded in significantly increasing the cutting depth, as reported in the journal "Scientific Reports". Instead of increasing the energy of the laser, which could carbonize the bone and impair healing, the researchers changed the shape of the laser beam.
Not yet ready for practical use
The usual so-called Gaussian profile concentrates the energy in the center of the beam. The new profile, called "top-hat", distributes the energy more evenly over the entire surface of the beam. "Because the energy is transferred more evenly, the laser cuts more efficiently and faster," said lead author Mingyi Liu in the press release. The researchers tested the new bone-cutting laser on bovine bones.
Despite the progress in cutting depth, the new laser method is not yet ready for practical use. According to the University of Basel, one major disadvantage is the speed. The laser can remove around 0.4 cubic millimetres of bone per second. At 11 cubic millimeters, a mechanical saw can remove more than twenty times as much in the same period of time. Although the laser is thus approaching the depth required for surgery for the first time, it is still too slow.
The researchers are now working on further optimizing the cutting depth and speed.
