FIBER OPTIC PHOTOTHERAPY DEVICE

• US 20080172113A1
• Filed: 01/15/2008
• Published: 07/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ethan A. Lerner, Philip M. Darivoff
• Original Assignee: Lerner Medical Devices, Incorporated
• Inventors: Chang, David, Gourgouliatos, Zafirios
• Granted Patent: US 8,523,925 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/90
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/063 comprising light transmitting means, e.g. optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0644 Handheld applicators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0652 Arrays of diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0661 ultraviolet
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0616 Skin treatment other than tanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0617 Hair treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/067 using laser light

Abstract

A phototherapy apparatus for the treatment of skin disease is disclosed including: an at least partially hollow body element; a plurality of light emitting elements enclosed within the body element; and a plurality of elongated light transmitting elements, each of the light transmitting elements having a proximal end detachably affixed to the body element in proximity to one or more of the light emitting elements, and extending to an end distal the body element. For each of the elongated light transmitting elements, at least a portion of light incident from the light emitting elements onto the proximal end is directed through the light transmitting element and emitted from the distal end.

Claims

1. A phototherapy apparatus for the treatment of skin disease comprising:

an at least partially hollow body element;

a plurality of light emitting elements enclosed within the body element; and

a plurality of elongated light transmitting elements, each of said light transmitting elements having a proximal end detachably affixed to the body element in proximity to one or more of the light emitting elements, and extending to an end distal the body element;

wherein, for each of the elongated light transmitting elements, at least a portion of light incident from the light emitting elements onto the proximal end is directed through the light transmitting element and emitted from the distal end.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light emitting elements include at least one from the group of:

a light emitting diode, a quantum dot, a solid state laser.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light emitting elements have a spectral output within the range of 280 nm to 320 nm.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the plurality of light emitting elements have a spectral output within the range of 310 nm to 320 nm.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light emitting elements have a spectral output within the range of 320 nm to 380 nm.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more of the elongated light transmitting elements comprises an optical fiber.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more of the elongated light transmitting elements comprises a hollow tube, the interior surface of said tube having a reflective coating.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a support element adapted to be detachably received by the body element and to support the elongated light transmitting elements;

wherein each of the elongated light transmitting elements extends through the support element from a side of the support element proximal the body element to a side of the support element distal the body element.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the elongated light transmitting elements are arranged in a regular array.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the array is a two dimensional array.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the array is arranged to provide substantially uniform fluence of light emitted from the distal ends of the elongated light transmitting elements at an area of a treatment surface.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the distal end of one or more of the light transmitting elements comprises a bulbous tip comprised of a light emitting spherical segment.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the spherical segment has a radius of curvature within the range of about 0.25 mm to about 3.0 mm

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the rounded tip has a radius of curvature within the range of about 0.25 mm to about 3.0 mm

16. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the fiber comprises a inner core surrounded by an outer cladding, said inner core having a radius within the range of about 0.1 mm to about 3 mm.

17. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the elongated light transmission elements and supporting element are autoclavable.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a sensor adapted to sense the proximity or contact of the distal end of one or more of the elongated light transmitting elements to a treatment surface.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one alignment element adapted to receive the proximal end of one of the elongated light transmitting elements and to maintain said proximal end in a desired position relative to one or more of the light emitting elements.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a proximal end of at least one of the elongated transmitting elements comprises a retractable cover element, said retractable cover element adapted to cover at least a portion of said proximal end when said proximal end is detached from the body element and to retract from said proximal end when the proximal end is affixed to the body element in proximity to one or more of the light emitting elements.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the light emitting elements comprises a retractable cover element, said retractable cover element adapted to cover at least a portion of the least one light emitting when a proximal end of at least one light transmitting element is detached from the body element, and to retract from the at least one light emitting element when said proximal end is affixed to the body element in proximity to the at least one light emitting element.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a control unit in communication with the light emitting elements configured to selectively adjust the duration or intensity of light transmitted from the light emitting elements to the light transmitting elements.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the control unit is in communication with a power supply, and is configured to control the power supplied to the light emitting elements to adjust the duration or intensity of light transmitted from the light emitting elements to the light transmitting elements.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the control unit comprises a timer.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a dosimetry sensor adapted to, during operation, provide information to the control unit indicative of a dose of treatment light directed from the light transmitting elements to a treatment surface.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the control unit is configured to selectively adjust the duration and intensity of light transmitted from the light emitting elements to the light transmitting elements based on said information.

27. The apparatus of claim 23 further comprising the power supply, wherein the power supply is enclosed within the body element.

28. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the body element is substantially opaque to light emitted by the light emitting elements.

14. The apparatus of claim wherein the distal end of one or more of the light transmitting elements comprises a rounded tip.

29. A treatment system comprising:

a plurality of the phototherapy devices adapted to provide treatment light to a treatment area, each device comprising;

an at least partially hollow body element;

a plurality of light emitting elements enclosed within the body element; and

a plurality of elongated light transmitting elements, each of said light transmitting elements having a proximal end detachably affixed to the body element in proximity to one or more of the light emitting elements, and extending to an end distal the body element;

wherein, for each of the elongated light transmitting elements, at least a portion of light incident from the light emitting elements onto the proximal end is directed through the light transmitting element and emitted from the distal end; and

a control unit adapted to selectively supply power to each of the plurality of the phototherapy devices.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the control unit is capable of simultaneously supplying power to at least two of the plurality of phototherapy devices.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the plurality of the phototherapy devices comprises at least two phototherapy devices each adapted to provide treatment light at a different spectral range than the other.

32. A method of treating an area of skin affected by skin disease comprising

providing treatment light to the affected area from a phototherapy device, said phototherapy device comprising:

an at least partially hollow body element;

a plurality of light emitting elements enclosed within the body element; and

a plurality of elongated light transmitting elements, each of said light transmitting elements having a proximal end detachably affixed to the body element in proximity to one or more of the light emitting elements, and extending to an end distal the body element;

wherein, for each of the elongated light transmitting elements, at least a portion of light incident from the light emitting elements on the proximal end is directed through the light transmitting element and emitted from the distal end.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein providing treatment light comprises bringing the distal ends of the light transmitting elements into proximity or contact with the affected area.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the providing treatment light comprises, while maintaining distal ends of the light transmitting elements into proximity or contact with the affected area, moving the distal ends across the affected area to provide at least one minimal erythema dose of treatment light to the affected area.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein at least a portion of the affected area is a hair bearing region, and moving the distal ends across the affected area comprises combing the distal ends through the hair.