Lensed caps for radial medical laser delivery devices

• US 5,509,917 A
• Filed: 06/28/1994
• Issued: 04/23/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CeramOptec Industries Incorporated (Biolitec AG)
• Original Assignee: CeramOptec Industries Incorporated (Biolitec AG)
• Inventors: Guazzieri, Stefano, Cecchetti, Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellegrino, Stephen C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEFFLEY, MICHAEL F
• Application Number:
  US08/265,058
• Time in Patent Office: 665 Days
• Field of Search: 606/7, 606/13-18, 128/4, 128/6, 607/88, 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 2018/2266 with a lens, e.g. ball tipped
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2272 with reflective or refractive surfaces for deflecting the beam A61B2018/2261, A61B2018/2266 take precedence

Abstract

The device of the present invention pertains to a modified medical laser delivery device with sideways directed radiation that can produce high power densities at a distance further away from the fiber, thereby enabling non-contact ablating procedures to be carried out with lower laser input power levels.

Claims

1. A medical laser delivery device comprising:

an optical fiber terminated at a proximal end so that it can be connected to a medical laser source, and with a distal end having a prismatic cut fiber tip for sideways directing of an output beam by total reflection;

said fiber'"'"'s distal end enclosed by a cap whose open end is bonded to said fiber so as to create a gas pocket around said prismatic cut fiber tip; and

a sector of said cap, lying within said output beam direction, being converted, after said cap is bonded to said fiber, into a bi-directional lens for focusing said output beam as it exits said device into a surrounding medium.

2. A medical laser delivery device according to claim 1, wherein said focusing said output beam includes collimating said output beam by means of said bi-directional lens.

3. A medical laser delivery device according to claim 1, wherein said bi-directional lens is fused to said fiber in a central area of said lens to provide scatter free transmission of said output beam.

4. A medical laser delivery device according to claim 1, wherein said cap is bonded at its open end to said fiber by being circumferentially fused to said fiber.

5. A method of manufacturing a medical laser delivery device comprising the steps of:

cutting a prismatic tip on a distal end of an optical fiber so as to direct all light in said fiber sideways to a longitudinal axis;

placing a prepared cap over said distal end of said fiber;

bonding said cap at its open end to said fiber to create a gas pocket around said prismatic fiber tip;

modifying a sector of said cap by directing a concentrated heat source at said sector and allowing it to collapse inward to form a bi-directional lens which can focus or collimate an output beam as it passes through said sector during operation of said device.

6. A method of manufacturing according to claim 5, wherein said lens is formed such that a central portion of said lens is fused to said fiber.

7. A method of manufacturing according to claim 5, wherein the step of bonding said cap to said fiber includes directing either a laser or other concentrated heating source near said open end of said cap and circumferentially fusing said cap to said fiber'"'"'s surface.

8. A method of manufacturing according to claim 7, further including the step of heating said cap uniformly with a diffuse, controlled heat source to warm said gas pocket to a predetermined temperature, before said cap is circumferentially fused to said fiber'"'"'s surface.