Optical therapies and devices

• US 20060167531A1
• Filed: 06/14/2005
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valent Medical Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Valam Corp
• Inventors: Rogers, Erica, Gertner, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,109,981 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/86
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0605 Ear
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0606 Mouth
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0607 Nose
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0608 Rectum
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0609 Stomach and/or esophagus
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0611 Vagina
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0644 Handheld applicators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0645 Applicators worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0651 Diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0661 ultraviolet
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0603 for treatment of body cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0616 Skin treatment other than tanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0624 for eliminating microbes, germs, bacteria on or in the body

Abstract

An optical therapy device for providing therapeutic light to a person'"'"'s nasal cavity includes a body and at least one UV light source in or on the body. A distal end of the body is configured to be inserted into the person'"'"'s nasal cavity. The body can be configured to be hand-held. The optical therapy device is configured such that the UV light source emits a dose of UV light toward tissue in the patient'"'"'s nasal cavity.

Claims

1. An optical therapy device for providing therapeutic light to a person'"'"'s nasal cavity, comprising:

a body, wherein at least a distal end of the body is configured to be inserted into the person'"'"'s nasal cavity and wherein said body is further configured to be hand-held; and

at least one UV light source positioned in or on said body;

wherein said device is configured such that said at least one UV light source emits a dose of UV light toward tissue in said patient'"'"'s nasal cavity when the distal end of the body is positioned in the nasal cavity.

2. The optical therapy device of claim 1, wherein the at least one UV light source comprises a solid-state light source.

3. The optical therapy device of claim 1, wherein the body further comprises a microcontroller electrically coupled to the at least one UV light source.

4. The optical therapy device of claim 1, wherein the at least one UV light source comprises a light emitting diode (LED).

5. The optical therapy device of claim 1, wherein the at least one UV light source comprises at least one of a mercury vapor lamp and a UV enhanced halogen lamp.

6. The optical therapy device of claim 1, wherein the at least one UV light source comprises a UVA light source.

7. The optical therapy device of claim 1, wherein the at least one UV light source comprises a UVB light source.

8. The optical therapy device of claim 1, wherein the at least one UV light source comprises a UVA light source and a UVB light source.

9. The optical therapy device of claim 1, further comprising a light conditioner.

10. The optical therapy device of claim 9, wherein the light conditioner comprises a light scattering medium.

11. The optical therapy device of claim 9, wherein said light conditioner comprises a light focusing element.

12. The optical therapy device of claim 9, wherein said light conditioner comprises a lens.

13. The optical therapy device of claim 9, wherein said light conditioner comprises a light reflecting element.

14. The optical therapy device of claim 9, wherein said light conditioner comprises a mirror.

15. The optical therapy device of claim 9, wherein said light conditioner comprises a filter.

16. The optical therapy device of claim 15, wherein said filter comprises an optical filter.

17. The optical therapy device of claim 9, wherein said light conditioner comprises a sheath.

18. The optical therapy device of claim 1, wherein said body further comprises a body proximal portion and a body distal portion, and wherein the at least one UV light source is located at the body distal portion.

19. The optical therapy device of claim 1, wherein said body further comprises a body proximal portion and a body distal portion, the body distal portion comprising the distal end of the body, and wherein the at least one UV light source is located at the body proximal portion.

20. The optical therapy device of claim 1, wherein the body is elongate and has a length extending from a proximal end of the body to the distal end, and the length is less than or equal to about 30 cm.

21. The optical therapy device of claim 1, wherein said body further comprises a body proximal portion and a body distal portion, the body distal portion comprising the distal end of the body, and wherein said optical therapy device further comprises a window, wherein the window is located at or near the body distal portion.

22. The optical therapy device of claim 21, wherein the window is at least partially transmissive of UV light generated by the UV light source.

23. The optical therapy device of claim 1, further comprising a sheath, wherein the sheath is configured to at least partially cover the body.

24. The optical therapy device of claim 23, wherein the sheath is manufactured using a mold.

25. The optical therapy device of claim 23, wherein said sheath comprises at least one material that is at least partially transmissive of UV light.

26. The optical therapy device of claim 25, wherein said at least one material conditions said light.

27. The optical therapy device of claim 1, further comprising a controller, wherein said controller controls a parameter of the dose.

28. The optical therapy device of claim 27, wherein said controller is in or on said body.

29. The optical therapy device of claim 27, wherein the parameter comprises at least one of an on-time and an off-time of the optical therapy device.

30. The optical therapy device of claim 27, wherein the parameter comprises a sequence for activating said at least one UV light source.

31. The optical therapy device of claim 27, wherein said controller records a total number of doses, and wherein said controller prevents the emission of the dose after the total number of doses reaches a predetermined level.

32. The optical therapy device of claim 1, further comprising a power supply for powering said at least one UV light source, wherein said power supply is positioned in or on the body.

33. The optical therapy device of claim 1, further comprising a cooling module that dissipates heat generated by said optical therapy device.

34. The optical therapy device of claim 33, wherein said cooling module comprises a heat pipe.

35. The optical therapy device of claim 33, wherein said cooling module comprises an active cooling device.

36. The optical therapy device of claim 1, further comprising a visible light source.

37. The optical therapy device of claim 36, wherein said visible light source comprises at least one LED.

38. The optical therapy device of claim 1, wherein said at least one UV light source provides a UVA percentage and a UVB percentage of total optical energy delivered by the optical therapy device, and wherein said UVB percentage is less than said UVA percentage.

39. The optical therapy device of claim 1, wherein said at least one UV light source comprises an LED chipset, wherein the LED chipset comprises at least one UVA LED that emits UVA light and at least one UVB LED that emits UVB light.

40. An optical therapy device for providing therapeutic light to a nasal cavity, comprising:

a body, wherein at least a portion of the body is configured to be inserted into the nasal cavity;

at least one UV light source positioned on or in said body, wherein said at least one UV light source generates light that is emitted toward tissue inside said nasal cavity when the portion of the body is inserted into the nasal cavity; and

a light conditioner configured to condition light emitted from the at least one UV light source.

41. An optical therapy device for providing therapeutic light to a nasal cavity, comprising:

a body, wherein at least a portion of the body is configured to be inserted into the nasal cavity;

at least one UV light source positioned on or in said body, wherein said at least one UV light source generates light that is emitted toward tissue inside said nasal cavity; and

a sheath, configured to cover at least a portion of the body.

42. An optical therapy device for providing therapeutic light to a nasal cavity, comprising:

a body, comprising a distal portion, wherein at least the distal portion is configured to be inserted into the nasal cavity; and

at least one UV light source that generates UV light, said UV light source positioned at said distal portion.

43. An optical therapy device for providing therapeutic light to a nasal cavity, comprising:

a body, wherein at least a portion of the body is configured to be inserted into the nasal cavity; and

at least one solid-state UV light source positioned in or on said body, wherein said at least one solid-state UV light source is configured to emit light into the nasal cavity when the portion of the body is inserted into the nasal cavity.

44. An optical therapy device for providing therapeutic light to a nasal cavity, comprising:

an elongate body, wherein at least a distal end of the elongate body is configured to be inserted into the nasal cavity;

wherein the elongate body has a length, extending from a proximal end of the body to the distal end, that is less than or equal to about 30 cm; and

at least one UV light source positioned in or on said elongate body, wherein said at least one UV light source is configured to emit light into the nasal cavity when the distal end is inserted into the nasal cavity.

45. An optical therapy device for providing therapeutic light to a person'"'"'s body cavity, comprising:

a body, wherein at least a portion of the body is configured to be inserted into the person'"'"'s body cavity;

at least one UV light source positioned in or on said body, wherein said at least one UV light source is configured to emit light into the person'"'"'s body cavity; and

a light conditioner, configured to condition light emitted from the at least one UV light source.

46. An optical therapy device for providing therapeutic light to a person'"'"'s body cavity, comprising:

a body, wherein at least a portion of the body is configured to be inserted into the person'"'"'s body cavity;

at least one UV light source positioned in or on said body, wherein said at least one UV light source is configured to emit light into the person'"'"'s body cavity; and

a sheath, configured to cover at least a portion of the body.

47. An optical therapy device for providing therapeutic light to a nasal cavity, comprising:

a body, wherein at least a distal portion of the body is configured to be inserted into the nasal cavity;

at least one UV light source located at the distal portion, said optical therapy device being configured to activate said at least one UV light source to generate a therapeutic dose of UV light to tissue in the nasal cavity when the portion of the body is positioned in the nasal cavity.

48. An optical therapy device for providing therapeutic light to a nasal cavity, comprising:

an elongate body, wherein at least a distal end of the elongate body is configured to be inserted into the nasal cavity; and

a light conditioner configured to condition light emitted from at least one UV light source located in or on the body;

wherein the elongate body has a length, from a proximal end of the body to the distal end, that is less than or equal to about 30 cm.

49. An optical therapy device for providing therapeutic light to a nasal cavity, comprising:

an elongate body, wherein at least a distal end of the elongate body is configured to be inserted into the nasal cavity; and

a sheath, configured to cover at least a portion of the body;

wherein the elongate body has a length, from a proximal end of the body to the distal end, that is less than or equal to about 30 cm.

50. An optical therapy device for providing therapeutic light to a mammal'"'"'s nasal cavity, the optical therapy device comprising:

inserting means for delivering light to the mammal'"'"'s nasal cavity, said inserting means comprising an insertion portion that is configured to be wholly inserted into the mammal'"'"'s nasal cavity; and

UV light-emission means, positioned on or in said insertion portion of said inserting means, such that said UV light-emission means generates UV light that is emitted toward tissue in said mammal'"'"'s nasal cavity when the insertion portion is inserted into the patient'"'"'s nasal cavity.

51. A method of delivering optical therapy to a patient, comprising:

providing an optical therapy device, said optical therapy device comprising;

a body that is configured to be hand-held, said body comprising a distal portion, wherein at least the distal portion is configured to be inserted into the patient'"'"'s nasal cavity; and

at least one UV light source positioned in or on said body;

inserting the optical therapy device in the patient'"'"'s nasal cavity; and

emitting UV light for a period of time from said UV light source toward tissue inside said patient'"'"'s nasal cavity.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein said at least one UV light source comprises a light emitting diode.

53. A method of delivering optical therapy to a patient, comprising:

providing an optical therapy device, said optical therapy device comprising;

an elongate body, wherein at least a distal end of the elongate body is configured to be inserted into the person'"'"'s nasal cavity, and wherein the elongate body has a length, from a proximal end of the body to the distal end, that is less than or equal to about 30 cm; and

at least one UV light source located in or on said elongate body; and

emitting a dose of UV light from said UV light source toward tissue in said patient'"'"'s nasal cavity when the distal end of the body is positioned in the nasal cavity.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein said at least one UV light source comprises a light emitting diode.