DUAL MODE LASER DELIVERY SYSTEM PROVIDING CONTROLLABLE DEPTH OF TISSUE ABLATION AND CORRESPONDING CONTROLLABLE DEPTH OF COAGULATION
First Claim
1. A medical laser delivery apparatus for delivering one or more pulses to an area of tissue to be treated and generating a region of coagulation to a controllable coagulation depth under a surface of the area of tissue comprising a laser source for generating a series of one or more non-ablative pulses to be delivered to the area of tissue to be treated in order to raise a temperature at the surface of the area of tissue to be treated to a temperature sufficient to generate coagulation at the coagulation depth when the laser source is in a coagulation mode.
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Abstract
A dual mode laser delivery system provides a controllable depth of both ablation and coagulation of an area of skin to be treated. The laser delivery system preferably includes a laser source having a short penetration depth. The controllable ablation depth is achieved by providing an appropriate series of pulses from the laser having an energy and exposure time to achieve ablation of the exposed area of skin to the desired depth. Once ablation of the skin has been performed, a coagulation region to the desired coagulation depth is then generated within the remaining exposed layer of skin by preferably applying a series of one or more very short non-ablative laser pulses at a high repetition rate in order to raise the temperature of the surface of the skin to a desired temperature for a period of time. This series of coagulation pulses will also serve to raise the temperature of the skin under the surface of the skin to a temperature high enough to cause coagulation to the desired depth. The order of delivery of the ablation sequence and the coagulation sequence can also be reversed from that described if desired. A graphical user interface is included within the system in order to allow the user to easily select and monitor the necessary parameters such as ablation depth, coagulation depth, application order, scan pattern, scan size and rate of laser pulses. The laser pulses are generated from a laser source and delivered through an articulated arm. The articulated arm includes a series of relay focussing lenses in order to periodically refocus the laser beam as it travels through the articulated arm.
119 Citations
40 Claims
- 1. A medical laser delivery apparatus for delivering one or more pulses to an area of tissue to be treated and generating a region of coagulation to a controllable coagulation depth under a surface of the area of tissue comprising a laser source for generating a series of one or more non-ablative pulses to be delivered to the area of tissue to be treated in order to raise a temperature at the surface of the area of tissue to be treated to a temperature sufficient to generate coagulation at the coagulation depth when the laser source is in a coagulation mode.
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11. A medical laser comprising:
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a. a laser source for generating a laser beam having a predetermined absorption length, wherein the absorption length forms a predetermined coagulation depth in response to an ablative laser pulse; and
b. a laser control system, coupled for controlling the laser source for generating a plurality of coagulative laser pulses, such that each such coagulative laser pulse is delivered in sequence to a target area to form a coagulation region deeper than the predetermined coagulation depth. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of delivering laser pulses to an area of tissue to be treated and generating coagulation to a controllable coagulation depth under a surface of the tissue comprising the steps of:
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a. generating a series of one or more non-ablative pulses from a laser source;
b. delivering the series of one or more non-ablative pulses to the area of tissue to be treated in order to raise the tissue to be treated to a temperature sufficient to generate coagulation at the coagulation depth. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A medical laser delivery apparatus for treating an area of tissue comprising:
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a. a laser source for generating a series of one or more laser pulses each having a strength and a duration;
b. a laser delivery system coupled to the laser source for delivering the laser pulses from the laser source to the area of tissue being treated;
c. a control system coupled to the laser source for controlling generation of the laser pulses from the laser source, wherein the laser source operates in both an ablation mode and a coagulation mode such that when in the ablation mode, the strength and duration of the laser pulses are sufficient to ablate tissue at the area of tissue being treated to a controllable ablation depth and when in the coagulation mode, the strength and duration of the laser pulses are sufficient to generate a coagulation region having a controllable coagulation depth within the tissue remaining at the area of tissue being treated without ablating any tissue. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A graphical user interface for monitoring and controlling operation of a medical laser system in the treatment of an area of tissue comprising:
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a. an ablation control section through which a user selects a desired ablation depth specifying how much tissue is to be ablated at the area of tissue being treated;
b. a coagulation control section through which a user selects a desired coagulation depth specifying how thick a coagulation region is to be generated at the area of tissue being treated; and
c. a representation of the area of tissue being treated illustrating the selected ablation depth and the selected coagulation depth. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method of monitoring and controlling a medical laser system in the treatment of an area of tissue comprising the steps of:
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a. displaying a plurality of ablation depths from which a desired ablation depth is selected, wherein the ablation depth specifies how much tissue is to be ablated at the area of tissue being treated;
b. displaying a plurality of coagulation depths from which a desired coagulation depth is selected, wherein the coagulation depth specifies how thick of a coagulation region is to be generated at the area of tissue being treated; and
c. displaying a representation of the area of tissue being treated illustrating the selected ablation depth and the selected coagulation depth. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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- 34. A medical laser delivery system for delivering a laser beam from a laser source to an area of tissue to be treated by the laser beam comprising one or more focussing optics for refocusing the laser beam as it travels through the delivery system.
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38. An articulated arm laser delivery system for delivering a laser beam from a laser source to an area of tissue to be treated by the laser beam comprising:
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a. a first arm component;
b. a second arm component;
c. a joint coupling the first arm component and the second arm component;
d. a plurality of directing optics for directing the laser beam from the laser source through the first arm, the joint and the second arm to the area of tissue to be treated; and
e. one or more focussing optics for refocussing the laser as it travels through the first and second arms. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
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Specification
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Current AssigneeDan E. Andersen, Daniel K. Negus, James L. Hobart
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Original AssigneeDan E. Andersen, Daniel K. Negus, James L. Hobart
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InventorsANDERSEN, DAN E., HOBART, JAMES L., NEGUS, DANIEL K.
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Application NumberUS09/018,104Publication NumberTime in Patent OfficeDaysField of SearchUS Class Current606/2CPC Class CodesA61B 18/201 with beam delivery through ...A61B 18/203 applying laser energy to th...A61B 2017/00199 with a console, e.g. a cont...A61B 2017/00761 Removing layer of skin tiss...A61B 2018/00452 SkinA61B 2018/207 mixing two wavelengths
