Rosatom wants to create a new laser device to spread kidney stones

Experts of the Russian nuclear industry plan to create a new laser device that will be used to treat urolithiasis, according to documents on the government's shopping website.

According to this document, Science and Innovation Joint Stock Company (the company that manages the scientific division of Rosatom Group) assigns the task to the Russian Federal Nuclear Center - All Russia Institute for Physical Sciences Research ( RFNC-VNIIEF, in Sarov, Nizhny Novgorod Region) developed a new type of laser.Extraterrestrial lithotripsy (Lithotripsy) is a treatment for urinary stones that does not interfere directly with the body or destroys stones in the kidneys and ureters with different types of energy.

Currently, the rate of people suffering from urinary stones is increasing so this laser generator needs to be tested and put into use sooner.

"Laser generators are designed for use in the urology department of any clinical hospital. Currently the incidence of urinary stone disease is increasing, so there is a great demand for equipment for Minimal and effective invasive treatments help reduce the cost of treatment and the length of stay in hospital " - the document posted on the website said.

Under this project, the Sarov Nuclear Center is tasked to create a test model of a laser generator to disperse kidney stones and ureter stones by 2022 and test its effectiveness under laboratory conditions.

The basis of the device being developed is a solid-state diode- pump laser that produces a mixed laser of two wavelengths and a microsecond pulse duration.

'The development of new methods of impacting biological tissues based on the use of a two-wavelength laser source and microsecond pulse duration to spread kidney and ureteral stones will help create technologies. New efficacy to treat the most common diseases of the urinary system ' - the document said.

This approach "will provide the ability to laser treatment to efficiently and safely remove outside stones , " the document points out.

Rosatom is developing new technologies for medicine, both nuclear and non-nuclear. One of the areas of development in the Russian nuclear industry is the creation of medical lasers for a variety of purposes. In 2018, it was reported that RFNC-VNIIEF will be the main base to participate in the project of setting up the Russian science and technology center 'Biophotonics ' which is responsible for solving the problems of applying laser technology in Medical fields, including cancer diagnosis and surgery.