Highly site-selective transvascular drug delivery by the use of nanosecond pulsed laser-induced photomechanical waves.

Photomechanical waves (PMWs), which were generated by irradiation of a light-absorbing material (laser target) with nanosecond laser pulses, were used for targeted transvascular drug delivery in rats. An Evans blue (EB) solution was injected into the tail vein, and laser targets were placed on the skin, muscle and brain. Each laser target was irradiated with a laser pulse(s) and 4h later, the rat was perfused and the distribution of EB fluorescence in the targeted tissues was examined.