Microsurgical laser probe with homogeneous laser light field
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An illuminator comprising:
- an instrument handle;
an optic fiber having opposite proximal and distal ends, the distal end extending into the instrument handle;
a brace on a portion of the optic fiber between its proximal and distal ends, the brace maintaining a bend formed in the portion of the optic fiber and except for the portion of the optic fiber the brace is on, the optic fiber between the instrument handle and the optic fiber proximal end is flexible.
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Abstract
A microsurgical laser probe used primarily in endoscopic surgery in which the pattern of laser light projected by the probe is improved from a pattern having areas of varying light intensity to a pattern of more uniform light intensity.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An illuminator comprising:
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an instrument handle; an optic fiber having opposite proximal and distal ends, the distal end extending into the instrument handle; a brace on a portion of the optic fiber between its proximal and distal ends, the brace maintaining a bend formed in the portion of the optic fiber and except for the portion of the optic fiber the brace is on, the optic fiber between the instrument handle and the optic fiber proximal end is flexible. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A microsurgical illuminator comprising:
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an instrument handle having opposite proximal and distal ends; a tubular probe projecting from the instrument handle distal end to a distal end of the probe; at least one flexible, optic fiber having opposite proximal and distal ends, the distal end of the optic fiber enters the instrument handle at the instrument handle proximal end and extends through the instrument handle and into the probe; a connector on the optic fiber proximal end for attaching the optic fiber proximal end to an illumination source; and
,a brace on a portion of the optic fiber between the instrument handle and the connector, the brace maintaining a bend formed in the portion of the optic fiber. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of making more uniform a pattern of illumination projected from a distal end of an optic fiber having opposite proximal and distal ends, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a brace on a portion of the optic fiber between its proximal and distal ends; subjecting the proximal end of the optic fiber to a source of illumination causing the optic fiber to convey the illumination through the optic fiber from its proximal end to its distal end; projecting the illumination from the optic fiber distal end as an initial pattern of illumination on a surface; gradually bending the portion of the optic fiber by bending the brace while observing the initial pattern of illumination projected on the surface until the initial pattern of illumination projected on the surface changes to a more uniform pattern of illumination than the initial pattern of illumination. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification