Apparatus for directing the movement of an endoscopic surgical laser especially for use in vaporizing brain tumors

• US 5,823,941 A
• Filed: 10/23/1995
• Issued: 10/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jerome Shaunnessey
• Original Assignee: Jerome Shaunnessey
• Inventors: Shaunnessey, Jerome
• Primary Examiner(s): PEFFLEY, MICHAEL F
• Application Number:
  US08/553,767
• Time in Patent Office: 1,093 Days
• Field of Search: 606/7, 606/13-19, 600/108
• US Class Current: 600/108
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0233 Pointed or sharp biopsy instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/245 for removing obstructions in blood vessels or calculi
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2272 with reflective or refractive surfaces for deflecting the beam A61B2018/2261, A61B2018/2266 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/363 Use of fiducial points
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/374 NMR or MRI
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/008 for smoke evacuation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/37 Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation

Abstract

An apparatus for removing brain tumors by vaporizing the tumor tissue with a laser beam in select scan planes of the tumor. A cored hole through the tumor is made by the laser beam, and an endoscope is inserted through the cored hole, which has a mirror mounted at a 45 degree angle near the end of it and mounted within it, that is capable of reflecting the laser beam at a 90 degree angle. The endoscope is inserted all the way through the cored hole, and sucessive scans of the brain tumor are taken perpendicular to the endoscope. The endoscope is then moved axially to position the 45 degree mirror at each scan plane, and the reflected laser beam is then rotated and also oscillated between calculated angles to vaporize the tumor tissue in each scan plane, until the entire brain tumor is vaporized by the laser beam. During this procedure the gas being produced by vaporization of the tumor tissue is suctioned out through the interior of the endoscope.

Claims

1. An apparatus for precisely positioning and rotating a beam of laser light comprising:

an endoscope including means to deliver laser light and deflect said laser light at an angle to a longitudinal axis of the endoscope, and;

an actuator tube, wherein said actuator tube has a longitudinal axis, and;

connection means for connecting one end of said actuator tube to a caudal end of said endoscope, wherein said longitudinal axis of said endoscope is coaxial with said longitudinal axis of said actuator tube, and;

a gear, suitably mounted on said actuator tube, said gear having its axis of rotation coaxial with said longitudinal axis of said actuator tube, and;

rotational means, for transmitting rotary motion to said gear suitably mounted on said actuator tube, and;

a laser beam producing means, for producing an elongated beam of laser light, wherein said elongated beam of laser light has a longitudinal optical axis coaxial with said longitudinal axis of said actuator tube, and;

a slidable connection means for slidably connecting said means for producing an elongated beam of laser light with one end of said actuator tube, and;

positioning means, for axially positioning said actuator tube along said longitudinal optical axis of said means for producing an elongated beam of laser light, and;

positioning means connection means, for connecting said positioning means to said actuator tube, wherein said positioning means connection means includes a means for allowing rotation of said actuator tube,

whereby, the deflected beam of laser light can be precisely positioned along the longitudinal optical axis of the elongated beam of laser light and precisely rotated about the longitudinal optical axis of the elongated beam of laser light.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, said actuator tube has a flange suitably mounted on the outside diameter of the actuator tube.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, said rotational means is a electrical stepping motor having an output shaft, and a pinion gear is mounted on said output shaft that engages said gear suitably mounted on said actuator tube.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, said positioning means is a electrical step motor positioner having an output shaft.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein, said means for allowing rotation of said actuator tube, is a circular slot at the end of said positioning means output shaft that engages said flange formed on the outside diameter of the actuator tube.

6. An apparatus for vaporizing a brain tumor comprising:

a surgical endoscope adapted to be inserted into a cored hole made thru a brain tumor said surgical endoscope including means to deliver and deflect a laser beam with respect to a longitudinal axis of the surgical endoscope such that the laser beam may be selectively positioned and rotated to vaporize said brain tumor and;

a guide tube, where said guide tube is adapted to be inserted into an incision made through a patient'"'"'s brain, and said surgical endoscope is placed within said guide tube, and;

an actuator tube, wherein said actuator tube has a longitudinal axis, and;

connection means, for connecting one end of said actuator tube to a caudal end of said surgical endoscope, wherein said longitudinal axis of said surgical endoscope is coaxial with said longitudinal axis of said actuator tube, and;

a gear, suitably mounted on said actuator tube, said gear having its axis of rotation coaxial with said longitudinal axis of said actuator tube, and;

rotational means, for transmitting rotary motion to said gear suitably mounted on said actuator tube, and;

a laser beam producing means, for producing an elongated beam of laser light, wherein said elongated beam of laser light has a longitudinal optical axis coaxial with said longitudinal axis of said actuator tube, and;

a slidable connection means for slidably connecting said means for producing an elongated beam of laser light with one end of said actuator tube, and;

positioning means, for axially positioning said actuator tube along said longitudinal optical axis of said means for producing an elongated beam of laser light, and;

positioning means connection means, for connecting said positioning means to said actuator tube, wherein said positioning means connection means comprises a means for allowing, rotation of said actuator tube,

whereby, the deflected laser beam is positioned within said brain tumor at select planes angularly disposed to the longitudinal axis of the surgical endoscope, and selectively rotated to vaporize the tumor tissue lying in each select plane.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein, said connection means at one end of said actuator tube is a female spline formed in an inside diameter of one end of said actuator tube.

8. An apparatus for vaporizing a brain tumor by positioning a laser beam that is deflected at an angle to a longitudinal axis of a surgical endoscope, at select scan planes within the brain tumor, then selectively rotating the deflected laser beam thru predetermined angles to vaporize the tumor tissue lying in each select scan plane, said apparatus comprising;

a surgical endoscope, wherein, said surgical endoscope has a longitudinal axis, and;

a laser beam producing means, for producing an elongated beam of laser light, wherein, said elongated beam of laser light has a longitudinal optical axis coaxial with said longitudinal axis of said surgical endoscope, and;

a laser beam deflecting means, for deflecting said elongated beam of laser light at an angle to said longitudinal axis of said surgical endoscope, wherein, said laser beam deflecting means is suitably mounted adjacent one end of said surgical endoscope, and;

image producing means, for producing images of said select scan planes within said brain tumor, and;

positioning means, for positioning said deflected beam of laser light at said select scan planes within the brain tumor, and;

rotational means, for rotating said deflected beam of laser light about said longitudinal optical axis of said laser beam producing means, and;

image processing computer means, for directing the positioning and rotational means by analyzing the images of said select scan planes within the brain tumor using image processing techniques, wherein, said image processing computer means is electrically connected to said image producing means and said positioning and rotational means, whereby, said deflected beam of laser light is positioned at said select scan planes within the brain tumor and rotated at angles determined by said image processing computer means to vaporize the brain tumor tissue lying in each of said select scan planes.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein, said image producing means is a magnetic resonance imaging scanner.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein, said rotational means is an electrical stepping motor that includes means for transmitting rotary motion to said surgical endoscope.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein, said positioning means is an electrical linear stepping motor positioner that includes means for connecting said electrical linear stepping motor positioner to said surgical endoscope.