EP0194856A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Surgical laser system
Assignee: Eclipse Surgical Technologies Inc
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Filing: 1986-03-11
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-03-11
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus and method for irradiating a treatment area (4) within a body includes introducing elongated flexible radiation transfer conduit (8) (fiberoptic arrays) into the body cavity with the distal end thereof operatively opposite the treatment area (4). At the other end of the conduit there is photoelectrically sensed a particular optical characteristic of the treatment area (such as fluorescence) and as long as the particular optical characteristic is sensed there is periodically transmitted laser pulses via the conduit (8) to the treatment site (4).
Inventors
- 👤 Walter Yiu Wa Mok
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 12:04
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/18; A61B18/20; A61B18/22; A61B18/24; A61B18/245; A61B17/00; A61B2017/00017; A61B2017/00137; A61B2017/00154; A61B2018/00636
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
78 words
A surgical laser system comprising: a fiber optical means (8) having a proximal end and a distal end positionable in operative proximity to a treatment site - (4); a treatment laser source (10) optically connected to the proximal end of said fiber optical means (8); a diagnostic radiation source (22) connected to the proximal end of said fiber optical means (8); and a responding radiation detector (30) connected to the proximal end of said fiber optical means (8).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
78 words
A surgical laser system comprising: a fiber optical means (8) having a proximal end and a distal end positionable in operative proximity to a treatment site - (4); a treatment laser source (10) optically connected to the proximal end of said fiber optical means (8); a diagnostic radiation source (22) connected to the proximal end of said fiber optical means (8); and a responding radiation detector (30) connected to the proximal end of said fiber optical means (8).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
208 words
A surgical laser system comprising a fiber optic means - (8) having a distal and positionable in an operative position at a treatment site (4), a treatment laser source (10) connected to pass laser radiation to a proximal end of the fibre optic means (8) whereby the laser radiation may pass down the fiber optic to its distal end and to said treatment site (4), a diagnostic radiation source (22) connected to pass diagnostic radiation to the proximal end of the fiber optic (8) whereby the diagnostic radiation may pass down the fiber optic means (8) to its distal end and to said treatment site - (4) to cause the part to be treated to emit or reflect radiation of a pre determined cha racteristic different from the parts not to be treated, a radiation detector (30) connected to receive said radiation emitted or reflected from the part to be treated from the proximal end of the fiber optic means (8), controller means (32) connected to receive signals from said radiation detector (30) and to control said treatment laser source (10) so that said treatment laser source (10) is only operable if said radiation detector (30) receives said radiation emitted or reflected from the part to be treated.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
208 words
A surgical laser system comprising a fiber optic means - (8) having a distal and positionable in an operative position at a treatment site (4), a treatment laser source (10) connected to pass laser radiation to a proximal end of the fibre optic means (8) whereby the laser radiation may pass down the fiber optic to its distal end and to said treatment site (4), a diagnostic radiation source (22) connected to pass diagnostic radiation to the proximal end of the fiber optic (8) whereby the diagnostic radiation may pass down the fiber optic means (8) to its distal end and to said treatment site - (4) to cause the part to be treated to emit or reflect radiation of a pre determined cha racteristic different from the parts not to be treated, a radiation detector (30) connected to receive said radiation emitted or reflected from the part to be treated from the proximal end of the fiber optic means (8), controller means (32) connected to receive signals from said radiation detector (30) and to control said treatment laser source (10) so that said treatment laser source (10) is only operable if said radiation detector (30) receives said radiation emitted or reflected from the part to be treated.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system as claimed in claim 2 in which the predetermined characteristic of the radiation reflected or emitted by the part to be treated is wave length.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
The system as claimed in claim 3 in which the radiation from the part to be treated is provided by fluorescence of the part to be treated emitted in response to receipt of diagnostic radiation from the diagnostic radiation source - (22).
Claim 7
Independent Claim
56 words
The system as claimed in any of claims 2 to 4 in which the controller means (32) includes means to control said treatment laser source (10) to provide a series of bursts of laser radiation so long as it receives a signal from said radiation detector (30) indicating the presence of the part to be treated.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
49 words
The system as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5 wherein said fiber optical means (8) comprises a multiple-wavelength beam splitter (MWBS), a fiber optical device - (8'), and a multiple-wavelength optical coupler (MWFC) optically coupling said multiple-wavelength beam splitter - (MWBS) to said fiber optical device (8').
Claim 9
Independent Claim
83 words
The system as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 wherein said fiber optical means (8) comprises first (8") and second (8a') fiber optical devices, a multiple-wavelength beam splitter (MWBS) optically coupled to said treatment laser source (10) and to said radiation detector (30), a multiple-wavelength optical coupler (MWFC) optically coupling said multiple-wavelength beam splitter (MWBS) to said first fiber optical device (8"), and another optical coupler (26) optically coupling said diagnostic radiation source (22) to said second fiber optical device (8a').
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system as claimed in claim 6 or 7 wherein said fiber optical device (8) is a single optical fiber (8).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system as claimed in claim 6 or 7 wherein said fiber optical device (8) is a single bundle of optical fibers (8).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
85 words
1 0. The system as claimed in claim 6 or 7 wherein said fiber optical means (8) is a fiber optical device having a central fiber- (8a) with a proximal end coupled to said diagnostic radiation source (22), a plurality of receiving fibers (8b) annularly disposed about said central fiber (8a) with a proximal end coupled to said detector (30), and. a plurality of treatment fibers (8c) also annularly disposed about said central fiber (8a) with one end coupled to said treatment laser source (10).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
-11. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means (32,12) responsive to the detection of radiation by said radiation detector to control the operation of said treatment laser source.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
85 words
1 2. The method of irradiating a treatment area within a body cavity by introducing an elongated flexible radiator transfer conduit (8) into the body cavity until the distal end of said conduit (8) is operatively opposite the treatment area ( 4 ), at the proximal end of said conduit photoelectrically sensing for a particular optical characteristic of the treatment area (4) and as long as said particular optical characteristic is sensed, transmitting periodically occurring laser pulses into the proximal end of said conduit (8).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
85 words
1 2. The method of irradiating a treatment area within a body cavity by introducing an elongated flexible radiator transfer conduit (8) into the body cavity until the distal end of said conduit (8) is operatively opposite the treatment area ( 4 ), at the proximal end of said conduit photoelectrically sensing for a particular optical characteristic of the treatment area (4) and as long as said particular optical characteristic is sensed, transmitting periodically occurring laser pulses into the proximal end of said conduit (8).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method as claimed in claim 12 further comprising, before transmitting the laser pulses, the step of introducing into the treatment area (4) a reagent which will cause the treatment area to be characteristically stained.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein said staining is such that the treatment area will fluoresce with a given wavelength when subject to a given radiation.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the photoelectrical sensing only occurs during the absence of a laser pulse and further comprising the step of radiating with said given radiation the treatment site at least during the times of occurrence of the photoelectrical sensing.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
118 words
The method of destroying atheromatous plaque (4) within an artery (6) of a patient comprising the steps of initially administering to the patient a non-toxic atheroma-enhancing reagent which cause the plaque (4) to have a characteristic optical property when illuminating with a given radiation, introducing a catheter system including fiberoptic cable means (8) into the artery (6) such that the distal end thereof is operatively opposite the plaque site, introducing into the proximal end of said fiberoptic array said given radiation, sensing at said proximal end said characteristic optical property and transmitting via said cable means (8) from said. proximal end to said distal end, periodically occurring laser pulses until said characteristic optical property is no longer sensed.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
118 words
The method of destroying atheromatous plaque (4) within an artery (6) of a patient comprising the steps of initially administering to the patient a non-toxic atheroma-enhancing reagent which cause the plaque (4) to have a characteristic optical property when illuminating with a given radiation, introducing a catheter system including fiberoptic cable means (8) into the artery (6) such that the distal end thereof is operatively opposite the plaque site, introducing into the proximal end of said fiberoptic array said given radiation, sensing at said proximal end said characteristic optical property and transmitting via said cable means (8) from said. proximal end to said distal end, periodically occurring laser pulses until said characteristic optical property is no longer sensed.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as claimed in claim 16 wherein said reagent causes the plaque to fluoresce with a particular wavelength when irradiated with a given wavelength of electromagnetic radiation.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method as claimed in claim 17 wherein said reagent is tetracycline and said electromagnetic radiation is ultraviolet light
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method as claimed in claim 17 wherein said reagent is the dye red.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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