FLEXIBLE INFRARED DELIVERY APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20080308753A1
• Filed: 06/12/2008
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Precision Endoscopic Technologies LLC (Optim LLC)
• Original Assignee: Precision Endoscopic Technologies LLC (Optim LLC)
• Inventors: Epstein, Michael S., Wolf, Richard M., Stuba, Robert M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,977,658 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/504R
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/18 by applying electromagnetic radiation, e.g. microwaves radiation therapy A61N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00589 Coagulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00982 combined with or comprising means for visual or photographic inspections inside the body, e.g. endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1807 using light other than laser radiation

Abstract

A flexible infrared delivery apparatus useful for endoscopic infrared coagulating of human or animal blood and tissue or for other uses employs a source of infrared radiation which is not a laser and an elongated flexible fiber optic member which transmits radiation from the source to a contact portion at a distal end of the member and to a material such as human or animal tissue proximate the contact portion. The elongated member has an outer diameter which enables it to be inserted into and through an accessory channel of an endoscope to view the human or animal tissue or material to be treated with infrared radiation. A connector on the proximal end of the member allows the elongated member to be quickly connected to and disconnected from the apparatus where the member is aligned for receiving infrared radiation from the source. The contact portion defines a size, direction and shape of a radiation delivery area from the member to the human or animal tissue or material proximate the contact portion.

Claims

1. An apparatus for delivering infrared energy to a material, comprising:

a source of infrared radiation which is not a laser;

an elongated flexible fiber optic member for transmitting radiation from the source from a proximal end of the member to a distal end of the member and to a material proximate the distal end;

a connector on the proximal end of the elongated member for quickly connecting the member to and disconnecting the member from the apparatus where the member is aligned for receiving infrared radiation from the source.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the source of infrared radiation is an infrared lamp which radiates electromagnetic energy primarily in the infrared region.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the source radiates both visible and infrared radiation for transmission through the elongated member.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a focusing arrangement focusing the radiation from the source onto the proximal end of the elongated member.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the elongated member is tapered in diameter over at least a portion of the length of the member for receiving radiation from a larger diameter focused spot from the source, at the proximal end of the member and tapering to transmit radiation to a smaller diameter spot.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the focusing arrangement includes a light-guiding connector mount to which the connector on the proximal end of the elongated member can be connected.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, including an electrical control with an activation switch that when activated provides electrical power to the source for producing infrared radiation, and an adjustable timer which controls the duration of time the source produces radiation after activation of the activation switch.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the elongated member includes an inner flexible fiber optic body and an outer protective sheath, the inner flexible fiber optic body being a multicomponent transparent fiber bundle.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the elongated member includes at the distal end of the member a contact portion for contacting the material, the contact portion defining a size, direction and shape of a radiation delivery area from the member to a material proximate the contact portion.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the contact portion includes an exposed, radiation emitting portion of a multicomponent transparent fiber bundle of the fiber optic member.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the contact portion defines a radiation delivery area with a direction having both radial and axial direction components with respect to a longitudinal axis of the elongated flexible fiber optic member.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the contact portion defines a radiation delivery area wider than a diameter of the distal end of the elongated flexible fiber optic member.

13. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the contact portion defines a radiation delivery area with a direction in only an axial direction with respect to a longitudinal axis of the elongated flexible fiber optic member.

14. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the contact portion is formed of a material and construction which minimizes attachment to the material contacted during operation of the apparatus.

28. A method of using the apparatus of claim 1 comprising:

connecting the elongated flexible fiber optic member to the source of infrared energy,

inserting the elongated flexible fiber optic member in an accessory channel of an endoscope, and

delivering infrared radiation to human or animal tissue with the apparatus through the accessory channel of the endoscope.

29. The method of claim 28, including continuing or repeating the delivering to coagulate the human or animal tissue.

15. An endoscopic infrared coagulation apparatus for use in an accessory channel of an endoscope to coagulate targeted tissue within a human or animal subject, comprising:

a source of infrared radiation which is not a laser;

an elongated flexible fiber optic member for transmitting sufficient infrared radiation to effectively coagulate human or animal tissue from the source from a proximal end of the member to a distal end of the member and to human or animal tissue proximate the distal end, the elongated member having a diameter enabling the member to be inserted into and through the accessory channel in an endoscope;

a connector on the proximal end of the elongated member for quickly connecting the member to and disconnecting the member from the apparatus where the member is aligned for receiving infrared radiation from the source.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the diameter of the elongated member is less than 4.2 millimeters.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the elongated member includes an inner flexible fiber optic body and an outer protective sheath, the inner flexible fiber optic body being a multicomponent transparent fiber bundle and the outer protective sheath being formed of a friction-minimizing material selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene and fluorinated ethylene propylene.

18. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the source radiates both visible and infrared radiation for transmission through the elongated member.

19. The apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a focusing arrangement focusing the radiation from the source onto the proximal end of the elongated member.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the focusing arrangement includes a light-guiding connector mount to which the connector on the proximal end of the elongated member can be connected.

21. The apparatus according to claim 15, including an electrical control with an activation switch that when activated provides electrical power to the source for producing infrared radiation, and an adjustable timer which controls the duration of time the source produces radiation after activation of the activation switch.

22. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the elongated member includes at the distal end of the member a contact portion for contacting human or animal tissue, the contact portion defining a size, direction and shape of a radiation delivery area from the member to human or animal tissue proximate the contact portion.

23. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the contact portion is formed of a material and construction which minimizes attachment to human or animal tissue during operation of the apparatus.

24. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the contact portion includes an exposed, radiation emitting portion of a multicomponent transparent fiber bundle of the fiber optic member.

25. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the contact portion defines a radiation delivery area with a direction having both radial and axial direction components with respect to a longitudinal axis of the elongated flexible fiber optic member.

26. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the contact portion defines a radiation delivery area wider than a diameter of the distal end of the elongated flexible fiber optic member.

27. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the contact portion defines a radiation delivery area with a direction in only an axial direction with respect to a longitudinal axis of the elongated flexible fiber optic member.