Surgery Using A Sunlight Scalpel

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Surgery Using A Sunlight Scalpel

Posted by timothy on Wednesday July 30, 2003 @11:16PM from the good-old-pointy-sunlight dept.

Makarand writes "Research conducted by Israeli doctors has shown that it is possible to use concentrated sunlight instead of lasers to perform surgery, providing a safe and low cost alternative to laser treatment. In their experiments sunlight was transported into the operating room from outside using a system of optical fibers. The concentrated rays - containing several watts of energy - were then used in the experimental surgery conducted on rats." Here is Wired's similar story.

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Confirmation by kinnell · 2003-07-30 23:18 · Score: 5, Funny

I can verify that this is indeed feasible. I have myself performed exploratory operations on a number of ants and other selected insects using concentrated sunlight.

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If I seem short sighted, it is because I stand on the shoulders of midgets
1. Re:Confirmation by cpeterso · 2003-07-31 07:59 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  When I was a kid, I attempted numerous cryogenic experiments on bees. I froze them in my freezer and would then try to wake them using sunlight or the microwave. Here are my results:
  
  Bee in microwave 0-5 seconds: no change in behavior
  Bee in microwave 5-10 seconds: rapid movement
  Bee in microwave 10+ seconds: no movement/game over
  
  I now regret my mad science experiments (there were many others), but at least I can share the scientific results with others. Let not those bees die in vain...
  
  --
  cpeterso
Cloudy days. by Spudley · 2003-07-30 23:29 · Score: 4, Funny

All fine and dandy... until the sun goes behind a cloud right at the critical moment! :-o

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(Spudley Strikes Again!)
"Oops" by rylin · 2003-07-30 23:48 · Score: 4, Funny

Now that everyone's used to the BOFH, let me introduce the BSFH (Bastard Surgeon From Hell)..

Blaming someone's critical conditions on sunflares, anyone? ;)
Re:Weather permitting... by tsa · 2003-07-31 01:58 · Score: 3, Funny

To prevent the influence of the clouds you can build a tower that is higher than the clouds. But then you can only operate during the day. So you also need some mirrors in orbit to reflect the sunlight from the other side of the earth into the tower. Because of the earth's rotation you will need to be able to move the mirrors so that they keep reflecting the light towards the tower. Then you have a system that is cooler than lasers, so nerds will flock to your hospital making you rich like Donald Duck's uncle! Hehehe!

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-- Cheers!
Re:Are the lasers a significant cost? by Anonymous Coward · 2003-07-31 04:14 · Score: 2, Funny

I would have thought that a reader of slashdot would realise what this is good for: Home Surgery! Home metalwork!

No longer do you need to buy a large laser or even the parts for one, leading to you being lists on $EVIL_GOVT_AGENCY databases, you can just make a concentrator mirror and fibre doohickey, and slice through things you're not supposed to slice through to your heart's content!
Slashdot! by ClosedSource · 2003-07-31 04:14 · Score: 3, Funny

Where else can you start a conversation on advances in surgery and end up arguing over the definition of winter?
great! by TwistedSpring · 2003-07-31 08:05 · Score: 3, Funny

Does this mean I can fix my ghastly vision by staring at the sun instead of going in for all that expensive laser surgery?
suitable for all laser applications? by iggymanz · 2003-07-31 13:28 · Score: 4, Funny

But can we have sharks with frickin' sunlight concentrating devices attached to their heads?