Investigation in vivo the effect of temperature on quantum yield of photodissociation of oxyhemoglobin (HbO/sub 2/) in cutaneous blood vessels

The temperature effect on laser-induced photodissociation of oxyhemoglobin in vivo by measuring changes in arterial blood oxygen saturation is investigated. It is shown that during laser irradiation the local concentration of free oxygen in tissue significantly increases when temperature of the body exceeds 40/spl deg/C compare to normal one. Different biomedical applications of this phenomenon are proposed. Unique possibility in selective and local increase of the concentration of free molecular oxygen in tissue that enhances metabolism of cells is demonstrated. An important conclusion is drawn from the obtained results that temperature dependence of quantum yield of photodissociation of oxyhemoglobin should be taken into account in developing new therapeutic methods for laser medicine.