Device and method for providing phototherapy to the heart
First Claim
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1. A method of treating a patient'"'"'s heart, the method comprising:
- providing a therapy apparatus that emits light having a controllably variable power density, the therapy apparatus comprising a plurality of light sources and defining two or more groups of the light sources, each of the defined groups of the light sources comprising two or more of the light sources from the plurality of light sources that are configured to be selectively activated together as a group;
positioning the therapy apparatus relative to the patient'"'"'s heart with intervening tissue including lung tissue of the patient between the plurality of light sources and the patient'"'"'s heart; and
selectively activating two or more of the groups of the light sources in manners that differ in comparison to each other and directing light emitted from the two or more of the groups of the light sources onto cardiac tissue of the patient'"'"'s heart through the intervening tissue without damaging the intervening tissue, wherein the light emitted from the two or more groups of the light sources is simultaneously activated during the patient'"'"'s breathing cycle to provide a therapy pattern, and wherein the light is directed onto the cardiac tissue during selected portions of the patient'"'"'s breathing cycle during which a percentage of the intervening lung tissue is at a minimum.
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Abstract
A method for treating a patient'"'"'s heart is provided. The method includes providing a light source which emits light having an initial power density. The method further includes positioning the light source relative to the patient'"'"'s heart with intervening tissue of the patient between the light source and the patient'"'"'s heart. The method further includes directing light onto cardiac tissue of the patient'"'"'s heart from the light source through the intervening tissue without damaging the intervening tissue. The cardiac tissue is irradiated by an efficacious power density of light for an efficacious period of time.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method of treating a patient'"'"'s heart, the method comprising:
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providing a therapy apparatus that emits light having a controllably variable power density, the therapy apparatus comprising a plurality of light sources and defining two or more groups of the light sources, each of the defined groups of the light sources comprising two or more of the light sources from the plurality of light sources that are configured to be selectively activated together as a group; positioning the therapy apparatus relative to the patient'"'"'s heart with intervening tissue including lung tissue of the patient between the plurality of light sources and the patient'"'"'s heart; and selectively activating two or more of the groups of the light sources in manners that differ in comparison to each other and directing light emitted from the two or more of the groups of the light sources onto cardiac tissue of the patient'"'"'s heart through the intervening tissue without damaging the intervening tissue, wherein the light emitted from the two or more groups of the light sources is simultaneously activated during the patient'"'"'s breathing cycle to provide a therapy pattern, and wherein the light is directed onto the cardiac tissue during selected portions of the patient'"'"'s breathing cycle during which a percentage of the intervening lung tissue is at a minimum. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for treating a patient'"'"'s heart, the method comprising:
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introducing light onto a target area of the heart by directing the light having a controllably variable power density through intervening tissue of the patient without damaging the intervening tissue, wherein the light is from a therapy apparatus comprising a plurality of light sources and defining two or more groups of the light sources, each of the defined groups of the light sources comprising two or more of the light sources from the plurality of light sources that are configured to be selectively activated together as a group, wherein the light emitted from the two or more groups of the light sources is simultaneously activated during the patient'"'"'s breathing cycle to provide a therapy pattern such that the light impinges onto the target area during selected portions of the patient'"'"'s breathing cycle, and wherein the light is introduced from the plurality of light sources positioned within the patient'"'"'s esophagus. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of treating a patient'"'"'s heart, the method comprising:
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positioning a therapy apparatus comprising a plurality of light sources and defining two or more groups of the light sources, each of the defined groups of the light sources comprising two or more of the light sources from the plurality of light sources that are configured to be selectively activated together as a group, the groups of the light sources having a controllably variable power density relative to the patient'"'"'s heart with intervening tissue including lungs of the patient between the plurality of light sources and the patient'"'"'s heart; and directing light onto cardiac tissue of the patient'"'"'s heart from the plurality of light sources through the intervening tissue without damaging the intervening tissue, the light emitted from the two or more groups of the light sources being simultaneously activated during the patient'"'"'s breathing cycle to provide a therapy pattern during selected portions of the patient'"'"'s breathing cycle during which a percentage of the intervening lung tissue is at a minimum. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification