Ablations

Ablation is the removal or destruction of material from an object or tissue. In science and engineering, ablation describes processes in which surface material is removed by vaporization, erosion, or chemical reaction. In medicine, ablation refers to procedures that destroy or remove tissue to treat disease, relieve symptoms, or reduce tumor burden.

Medical ablation techniques include energy-based methods such as radiofrequency, microwave, laser, and high-intensity focused ultrasound, as well as cryotherapy and chemical ablation. Cardiac ablation targets arrhythmogenic heart tissue to interrupt faulty electrical pathways responsible for abnormal rhythms. Tumor ablation applies similar energy sources to destroy malignant tissue in organs such as the liver, kidney, or lung, often via percutaneous or surgical approaches. The choice of method depends on factors such as lesion size, location, and patient health. Potential risks include bleeding, infection, damage to nearby structures, and unintended tissue injury from heat or chemical spread.

Outside medicine, ablation denotes removal of material from a surface by heat, laser, plasma, or mechanical means. In materials science, laser or plasma ablation is used for micromachining, surface cleaning, or thin-film deposition. In geoscience and glaciology, ablation refers to net mass loss from a glacier or ice field due to melting, sublimation, or calving, contrasting with accumulation. In aerospace and materials testing, ablation may describe protective-material consumption during high-temperature exposure, such as heat shields that wear away to protect underlying structures.

Overall, ablation encompasses a range of methods that remove or destroy material, whether for scientific, medical, industrial, or environmental purposes.