A method of ablating a solid substance within a mammalian body is presented. The method includes generating a superheated zone within the body using a fiber lasing assembly that emits pulses at a pulse repetition rate of 1 kHz to 500 kHz, where each pulse has a wavelength from 1.7 micron to 2.2 micron, a pulse width from 2 ns to 800 ns, and a pulse energy from 0.05 mJ to 2 mJ. The fiber lasing assembly used further includes a seed laser and an amplifier optically connected to the seed laser by an Ho-doped, Tm-doped, or Ho Tm co-doped fiber.
