<title>Laser tissue welding using an eye-guided targeting system</title>

End-to-end carotid artery anastomoses and aorta arteriotomy closure in rats have been performed using a diffraction limited semiconductor MOPA laser, coupled to an operating microscope and emitting a 1 watt continuous power output at a wavelength of 985 nm. Laser aiming was performed using an eye-guided laser targeting prototype, which allows the user to direct the laser with a beam steering unit controlled by the surgeon's eye movements. Preliminary results show that efficient welds can be obtained with the MOPA laser with irradiances of 670 and 1195 W/cm<SUP>2</SUP>. The ease and efficiency of the eye-guided procedures enabled the user to close up to 5 mm long arteriotomies in the rat aorta and to accurately perform laser assisted microvascular anastomoses of rat carotid arteries These laser welding procedures demonstrate the feasibility of eye-guided laser targeting in laser microsurgery.