Radial laser delivery device

• US 5,496,308 A
• Filed: 12/27/1993
• Issued: 03/05/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Biolitec Pharma Marketing Ltd.
• Original Assignee: CeramOptec Industries Incorporated (Biolitec AG)
• Inventors: Neuberger, Wolfgang, Brown, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellegrino, Stephen C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEFFLEY, MICHAEL F
• Application Number:
  US08/173,891
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 606/7, 606/10-16, 607/89
• US Class Current: 606/15
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/24 with a catheter A61B18/26, A61B18/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00274 Prostate operation, e.g. prostatectomy, turp, bhp treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00547 Prostate
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2272 with reflective or refractive surfaces for deflecting the beam A61B2018/2261, A61B2018/2266 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0601 Apparatus for use inside the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/062 Photodynamic therapy, i.e. excitation of an agent
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0008 the light being emitted at the end of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2817 using reflective elements to split or combine optical signals
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3624 Fibre head, e.g. fibre probe termination optical details of light guide terminations G02B6/241; reshaping of light guides G02B6/2552; optical details of coupling light into or out of fibre end G02B6/262

Abstract

The present invention involves a medical delivery system capable of emitting radiation with wavelengths between 190 nm and 16 um in one or more essentially directed, predetermined patterns. It includes at least one solid optical fiber, having a core and a cladding on the core. The cladding has a refractive index smaller than the core, having an input end suitably configured to connect to an appropriate radiation source and having a distal end in the proximity of which two or more grooves are penetrating into the core. The grooves have at least partial reflector capability so as to deflect radiation thereto radially in one or more predetermined patterns. The invention also includes methods of performing medical procedures utilizing the aforesaid device.

Claims

1. A medical delivery system capable of emitting radiation with wavelengths between 190 nm and 16 um in one or more essentially directed, predetermined patterns, which comprises:

at least one solid optical fiber, having a core and a cladding on said core and said cladding having a refractive index smaller than the core, having an input end suitably configured to connect to an appropriate radiation source and having a distal end in the proximity of which two or more grooves having been formed in a predetermined pattern are penetrating into the core, said grooves having at least partial reflector capability so as to deflect radiation thereto radially in one or more predetermined patterns.

2. A medical delivery system as claimed in claim 1, further characterized by a cap being placed over said at least one fiber at its distal end and over said two or more grooves, and by the enclosure of gas pockets in the grooves by means of said cap.

3. A radial delivery system as claimed in claim 1, further characterized by filling the grooves with a material having a significantly lower reflective index than the fiber core.

4. A medical radiation delivery system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the grooves have a reflective coating on at least one side.

5. A medical radiation delivery system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one fiber is a quartz glass or synthetic silica fiber and the radiation transmitted is between 190 and 3000 nm.

6. A medical radiation delivery system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fiber is a silver halide fiber and the radiation transmitted is between 4 um and 16 um.

7. A medical radiation delivery system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the grooves are only on one side of the device.

8. A medical radiation delivery system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the grooves have inclinations which vary in the optical fiber so as to give a radiation pattern converging at a predetermined distance from the fiber axis.

9. A medical radiation delivery system as claimed in claim 1, which further includes means for collecting radiation form the irradiated surface, and memos for controlling the energy level delivered responsive to collected radiation.

10. A system according to claim 9 wherein said means for collecting includes means for returning said radiation along said at least one optical fiber to a laser control device.

11. A system according to claim 9 wherein said means for collecting includes at one temperature sensing fiber extending beyond said cladding for exposure to a temperature at a vicinity of a treatment site for transmitting a temperature signal to a laser control device.

12. A medical radiation delivery device system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

an inflatable balloon coveting an end of said at least one solid optical fiber;

at least one temperature control sensors in said inflatable balloon;

said inflatable baboon being transparent at least over a cylindrical portion to the radiation wavelength used and incorporating said at least one solid optical fiber inside said inflatable balloon.

13. A medical radiation delivery device system as claimed in claim 12, wherein;

said at least one optical fiber is in a multilumen channel within said inflatable balloon and extends beyond said multilumen channel in a movable manner.

14. A medical radiation delivery device system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

an inflatable baboon covering an end of said at least one optical fiber;

dosage monitoring fibers affixed to said inflatable baboon transparent at least over an essential part of its surface to the radiation wavelength used.

15. A method of performing a laser prostatectomy procedure, comprising:

(a) the inserting of a cystoscope into the urethra;

(b) positioning a device which includes at least one solid optical fiber, having a core and a cladding on said core and said cladding having a refractive index smaller than the core, having an input end suitably configured to connect to an appropriate radiation source and having a distal end in the proximity of which two or more grooves having been formed in a predetermined pattern are penetrating into the core, said grooves having at least partial reflector capability so as to deflect radiation thereto radially in one or more predetermined patterns; and

,

(c) irradiating the prostate area to be degenerated.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said device is further characterized by a cap being placed over said at least one fiber at its distal end and over said two or more grooves, and by the enclosure of gas pockets in the grooves by means of said cap.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said device is further characterized by filling the grooves with a material having a significantly lower reflective index than the fiber core.

18. A method of performing a prostate degeneration procedure comprising:

(a) inserting at least the distal end of a device into the urethra, which includes at least one solid optical fiber, having a core and a cladding on said core and said cladding having a refractive index smaller than the core, having an input end suitably configured to connect to an appropriate radiation source and having a distal end in the proximity of which two or more grooves having been formed in a predetermined pattern are penetrating into the core, said grooves having at least partial reflector capability so as to deflect radiation thereto radially in one or more predetermined patterns, and which further includes one or more temperature control sensors affixed on to an inflatable balloon transparent at least over its cylindrical portion to the radiation wavelength used and incorporating the radiation delivery fiber in the inside of said inflatable balloon;

(b) positioning it as necessary;

(c) inflating the balloon; and

,

(d) irradiating the prostate area to be degenerated.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said fiber is located within said inflatable balloon in a movable manner.

20. Method of performing photodynamic therapy, comprising:

(a) applying a photosensitive substance to an area to be treated or to a distal end of the device set forth below;

(b) inserting a device which includes at least one solid optical fiber, having a core and a cladding on said core and said cladding having a refractive index smaller than the core, having an input end suitably configured to connect to an appropriate radiation source and having a distal end in the proximity of which two or more grooves having been formed in a predetermined pattern are penetrating into the core, said grooves having at least partial reflector capability so as to deflect radiation thereto radially in one or more predetermined patterns; and

,

(c) irradiating the tissue to an intended dosage level.

21. The method of claim 20, further characterized by a cap being placed over said at least one fiber at its distal end and over said two or more grooves, and by the enclosure of gas pockets in the grooves by means of said cap.

22. The method of claim 20, further characterized by filling the grooves with a material having a significantly lower reflective index than the fiber core.