Multiwavelength surgical laser
First Claim
1. A process comprising:
- combining light beams from a plurality of laser sources into a polychromatic light beam that comprises a plurality of narrow-bandwidth light beams having output wavelengths in the range of 340 nm to 460 nm;
the plurality of laser sources including a first-laser source and a second-laser source, the first-laser source and the second-laser source having output wavelengths which differ by at least 2 nm; and
optically coupling the polychromatic light beam to an interventional or diagnostic-laser-delivery device adapted for directing the polychromatic light beam to a surgical target.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A multiwavelength laser-based intense light source is described having applications in incision, excision and ablation of soft tissues with minimal collateral tissue damage. The light source combines the output of a plurality of relatively low power laser sources, emitting radiation in the region of the electromagnetic spectrum bounded by approximately 350 nm to 450 nm, where the combined output may be coupled into a single fiber optic energy delivery device: a standard surgical probe. Spectral and spatial beam combining are used to produce an incoherent light source with relatively low average power at any given wavelength, but with high total power and superior M2 beam quality, targeting multiple chromophores in target tissue and tissue breakdown product chromophores for consistently high and target absorption without indiscriminant char interference throughout a surgical procedure.
38 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A process comprising:
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combining light beams from a plurality of laser sources into a polychromatic light beam that comprises a plurality of narrow-bandwidth light beams having output wavelengths in the range of 340 nm to 460 nm; the plurality of laser sources including a first-laser source and a second-laser source, the first-laser source and the second-laser source having output wavelengths which differ by at least 2 nm; and optically coupling the polychromatic light beam to an interventional or diagnostic-laser-delivery device adapted for directing the polychromatic light beam to a surgical target. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A process comprising:
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combining light beams from a plurality of diode laser sources into a polychromatic light beam; the plurality of diode laser sources including a first-laser source and a second-laser source, the first-laser source and the second-laser source having output wavelengths which differ by at least 2 nm and are in the range of about 340 nm to about 460 nm; optically coupling the polychromatic light beam to an interventional or diagnostic-laser-delivery device; directing the polychromatic light beam from the delivery device to a surgical target; contacting the surgical target tissue with the polychromatic light beam; and vaporizing the surgical target tissue. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification