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Probe for heating body tissue

  • US 5,989,246 A
  • Filed: 02/09/1995
  • Issued: 11/23/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1992
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A probe for heating body tissue by high-intensity laser light from a laser light source, said probe comprising:

  • a light guide for coupling to the laser light source and having an exit portion to be introduced into the body tissue;

    a diffuser element on the light guide made of a base material which is highly transparent to laser light;

    particles of material highly reflective to laser light embedded in the base material;

    a tubular sleeve surrounding and spaced from the light guide at a predetermined distance;

    the tubular sleeve having a cap at an end thereof being made of a material that is transparent to laser light and has good heat conductivity in the area of the diffuser element to transmit heat by conduction and by radiation to the body tissue;

    the diffuser element being spaced from the cap and surrounded by coolant with coolant between the cap and the diffuser element;

    the cap allowing isotropic scattering of laser light from the diffuser element; and

    means including a closed coolant passageway in the tubular sleeve having a channel for flowing coolant through the tubular sleeve toward the body tissue and surrounding the diffuser element to remove a substantial portion of the heat transmitted to the body tissue by heat conduction and from the body tissue, while the laser light source is being operated to produce heat radiation for tumor therapy.

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