How do surgical lasers primarily cut and destroy tissue?

Surgical lasers primarily cut and destroy tissue through the process of excess heating. When a laser is directed onto tissue, it emits a focused beam of light energy that is absorbed by the cells, causing them to heat up rapidly. This intense heat leads to the vaporization of cellular components, effectively cutting through or destroying the tissue without the need for physical contact. This method allows for precision in surgical procedures, minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissues and promoting faster healing and reduced scarring.

The other methods listed, such as freezing, chemical reactions, or electrical impulses, do not accurately describe the primary mechanism of action for surgical lasers. Freezing would involve cryotherapy rather than laser technology, chemical reactions refer to processes that don't use light energy for cutting, and electrical impulses are associated with tools like electrosurgery, which operates on a different principle.