MULTI-FUNCTION OPTICAL PROBE SYSTEM FOR MEDICAL AND VETERINARY APPLICATIONS

• US 20100228238A1
• Filed: 03/05/2010
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OPROBE, LLC
• Original Assignee: OPROBE, LLC
• Inventors: Humayun, Mark, Caffey, Sean, Brennan, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 8,903,475 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/13
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/20 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00207 with hand gesture control or hand gesture recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00694 with means correcting for movement of or for synchronisation with the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2048 using an accelerometer or inertia sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/061 for measuring dimensions, e.g. length
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3735 Optical coherence tomography [OCT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3954 magnetic, e.g. NMR or MRI
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/0008 provided with illuminating means A61B3/117 takes precedence; goniolenses used for laser treatment A61F9/009; illuminating means for optical instruments G02B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/10 Objective types, i.e. instruments for examining the eyes independent of the patients' perceptions or reactions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/102 for optical coherence tomography [OCT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/14 Arrangements specially adapted for eye photography apparatus or arrangements for taking photographs per se G03B
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0066 Optical coherence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0073 by tomography, i.e. reconstruction of 3D images from 2D projections A61B5/0066 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/415 the glands, e.g. tonsils, adenoids or thymus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/418 lymph vessels, ducts or nodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6852 Catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4245 involving determining the position of the probe, e.g. with respect to an external reference frame or to the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5276 : due to motion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0166 : Sensors, electrodes or the like for guiding the catheter to a target zone, e.g. image guided or magnetically guided
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/01 : Introducing, guiding, advancing, emplacing or holding catheters A61M25/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/00 : Radiation therapy ultrasound therapy A61N7/00; devices or apparatus applicable to both therapy and diagnosis A61B6/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 : Assembling or joining

Abstract

A device includes a handpiece having a probe tip disposed at an end thereof, and, connected to the handpiece such that, at the probe tip, a functionality of each is provided, a plurality of probes. The probes may include an optical coherence tomography (OCT) probe, an endoillumination probe, a laser therapy probe, an ultrasound imaging probe, an electrocautery probe, an RF ablation probe, a cryosurgical probe, an irrigator, and/or a mechanical probe.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a handpiece having a probe tip disposed at an end thereof; and

connected to the handpiece such that, at the probe tip, a functionality of each is provided, a plurality of probes each being selected from the group consisting of;

an optical coherence tomography (OCT) probe, an endoillumination probe, a laser therapy probe, an ultrasound imaging probe, an electrocautery probe, an RF ablation probe, a cryosurgical probe, an irrigator, and a mechanical probe.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the probe tip comprises a rotatable outer needle and, disposed at least partially within the outer needle, a rotatable inner needle.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the probe tip comprises a non-rotatable outer sleeve disposed around the outer needle.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of probes comprises at least two of the OCT probe, the endoillumination probe, or the laser therapy probe.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of probes comprises a physically and optically separate optical fiber, the plurality of optical fibers each terminating at an output facet within the probe tip.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein an end of each of the plurality of optical fibers comprises means for coupling to a driver.

7. The device of claim 5, further comprising a plurality of lenses disposed proximate the probe tip, each of the lenses having different refractive properties and optically connected to one of the optical fibers.

8. The device of claim 5, wherein at least one of the optical fibers is slideably movable within the handpiece.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of probes comprises first, second, and third optical probes,

the first, second, and third optical probes comprise first, second, and third optical fibers, respectively,

the first and second optical fibers are optically coupled into a fourth optical fiber, and

the third and fourth optical fibers each terminate at an output facet within the probe tip.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the first and second optical fibers are coupled into the fourth optical fiber via an optical combiner, a fused-fiber coupler, or a wavelength-division multiplexer.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein (a) the first optical probe comprises an endoillumination probe, (b) the second optical probe comprises a laser therapy probe, and (c) the third optical probe comprises an OCT probe.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein the third optical fiber comprises a single-mode fiber and the fourth optical fiber comprises a multi-mode fiber.

13. The device of claim 9, wherein (a) the first optical probe comprises an OCT probe, (b) the second optical probe comprises a laser therapy probe, and (c) the third optical probe comprises an endoillumination probe.

14. The device of claim 9, wherein the third optical fiber comprises a multi-mode fiber and the fourth optical fiber comprises a single-mode fiber.

15. The device of claim 9, wherein the first optical fiber comprises a tapered multi-mode optical fiber coupled to a white-light source.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the white-light source emits non-coherent light.

17. The device of claim 9, further comprising, coupled to a proximal end of the first optical fiber, a doped fiber and a laser light source, wherein the doped fiber emits white light when excited by the laser light source.

18. The device of claim 9, further comprising, coupled to a proximal end of the first optical fiber, discrete sources of red, blue, and green light.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein each of the discrete sources of red, blue, and green light comprises a laser, a distal end of the first optical fiber emitting substantially white light.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein each of the discrete sources of red, blue, and green light is individually controllable, thereby controlling a wavelength of light emitted from a distal end of the first optical fiber.

21. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of probes comprises first, second, and third optical probes,

the first, second, and third optical probes comprise first, second, and third optical fibers, respectively, and

the first, second, and third optical fibers are coupled into a fourth optical fiber terminating at an output facet within the probe tip.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the first, second, and third optical fibers are coupled into the fourth optical fiber via an optical combiner, a fused-fiber coupler, or a wavelength-division multiplexer.

23. The device of claim 21, wherein the first optical fiber comprises a tapered multi-mode optical fiber coupled to a white-light source.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the white-light source emits non-coherent light.

25. The device of claim 21, further comprising, coupled to a proximal end of the first optical fiber, a doped fiber and a laser light source, wherein the doped fiber emits white light when excited by the laser light source.

26. The device of claim 21, further comprising, coupled to a proximal end of the first optical fiber, discrete sources of red, blue, and green light.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein each of the discrete sources of red, blue, and green light comprises a laser, a distal end of the first optical fiber emitting substantially white light.

28. The device of claim 26, wherein each of the discrete sources of red, blue, and green light is individually controllable, thereby controlling a wavelength of light emitted from a distal end of the first optical fiber.

29. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of probes comprises first and second optical probes,

the first and second optical probes comprise first and second optical fibers, respectively, and

the first and second optical fibers are coupled into a third optical fiber terminating at an output facet within the probe tip.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein the first optical fiber comprises a tapered multi-mode optical fiber coupled to a white-light source.

31. The device of claim 30, wherein the white-light source emits non-coherent light.

32. The device of claim 29, further comprising, coupled to a proximal end of the first optical fiber, a doped fiber and a laser light source, wherein the doped fiber emits white light when excited by the laser light source.

33. The device of claim 29, further comprising, coupled to a proximal end of the first optical fiber, discrete sources of red, blue, and green light.

34. The device of claim 33, wherein each of the discrete sources of red, blue, and green light comprises a laser, a distal end of the first optical fiber emitting substantially white light.

35. The device of claim 33, wherein each of the discrete sources of red, blue, and green light is individually controllable, thereby controlling a wavelength of light emitted from a distal end of the first optical fiber.

36. The device of claim 29, wherein the first, second, and third optical fibers each consist essentially of a single-mode optical fiber.

37. The device of claim 36, wherein the first optical probe is an OCT probe and the second optical probe is an endoillumination probe.

38. The device of claim 36, wherein the first optical probe is an OCT probe and the second optical probe is a laser therapy probe.

39. The device of claim 29, wherein the first optical fiber consists essentially of a single-mode optical fiber and the second and third optical fibers each consist essentially of a multi-mode optical fiber.

40. The device of claim 39, wherein the first optical probe is an OCT probe and the second optical probe is an endoillumination probe.

41. The device of claim 39, wherein the first optical probe is an OCT probe and the second optical probe is a laser therapy probe.

42. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of probes comprises an OCT probe, the OCT probe comprising an optical fiber coupled to the handpiece and, disposed within the probe tip, an OCT lens assembly.

43. The device of claim 42, wherein the optical fiber is coupled to the handpiece with a fiber-optic rotary joint.

44. The device of claim 42, wherein the optical fiber is disposed within a stationary needle or sleeve coupled to the handpiece.

45. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of probes comprises an endoillumination probe, the endoillumination probe comprising an optical fiber for propagating light from a light source to the probe tip.

46. The device of claim 45, wherein the endoillumination probe comprises a white light source that is at least partially disposed within the handpiece.

47. The device of claim 46, wherein the white light source comprises one or more light-emitting diodes.

48. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of probes comprises a laser therapy probe, the laser therapy probe comprising an optical fiber for propagating light from a narrow-wavelength light source to the probe tip.

49. The device of claim 48, wherein the laser therapy probe is configured for photocoagulation or tissue ablation.

50. The device of claim 1, wherein the functionality of each of the plurality of probes is provided through a single optical fiber disposed within the probe tip.

51. The device of claim 50, wherein the functionalities are all controlled by a single driver having selectable modes, each mode corresponding to one of the probes.

52. The device of claim 50, wherein the single optical fiber comprises multiple waveguides, each waveguide associated with at least one probe.

53. The device of claim 52, further comprising, associated with each of the waveguides, a lens disposed within the handpiece.

54. A method of forming a device, the method comprising:

providing a handpiece having a probe tip disposed at an end thereof; and

connecting to the handpiece such that, at the probe tip, a functionality of each is provided, a plurality of probes each being selected from the group consisting of;

an optical coherence tomography (OCT) probe, an endoillumination probe, a laser therapy probe, an ultrasound imaging probe, an electrocautery probe, an RF ablation probe, a cryosurgical probe, an irrigator, and a mechanical probe.