Thermal treatment apparatus

• US 6,544,257 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2001
• Issued: 04/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation), Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha (Terumo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation), Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha (Terumo Corporation)
• Inventors: Mizukawa, Satoshi, Nagase, Toru, Uesugi, Takefumi, Inaba, Makoto, Sakaguchi, Akira, Ariura, Shigeki, Karino, Wataru, Hareyama, Norihiko, Maki, Shin, Iwahashi, Shigenobu
• Primary Examiner(s): Peffley, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): JOHNSON III, HENRY M
• Application Number:
  US09/895,259
• Publication Number:
  US 20020022829A1
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 607/88-93, 606/10, 606/11, 606/15, 606/13, 606/14, 606/18, 606/19
• US Class Current: 606/15
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/20 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/22 the beam being directed along or through a flexible conduit, e.g. an optical fibre; Couplings or hand-pieces therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00084 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00011 with fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00023 closed, i.e. without wound contact by the fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00196 reciprocating lengthwise
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00636 Sensing and controlling the application of energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00791 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00982 combined with or comprising means for visual or photographic inspections inside the body, e.g. endoscopes
• 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 2218/002 Irrigation

Abstract

A thermal treatment apparatus comprises a control unit 251a that stops issuing a signal for laser beam activation transmitted over the foot switch signal cable 291 when the temperature obtained by the mirror temperature sensor 111 that detects the temperature of the laser emission part 122 provided at the laser irradiation unit 1 exceeds a predetermined value. This stops the output of the laser beam from the laser generator 3. Alternatively, the control unit can adjust the output value of the laser beam generated by the laser beam generator 3 by transmitting a signal via the communication cable 293 to change it in accordance with the detection signal of the mirror temperature sensor 111.

Claims

1. A thermal treatment apparatus, for thermally treating a vital tissue by means of applying energy, comprising:

an energy supply unit for supplying energy for treatment;

an energy output unit that is connected to said energy supply unit and has an energy reflection member for reflecting energy supplied by said energy supply unit;

a drive unit that changes the position and angle of said energy reflection member;

a detection unit that detects information concerning emission function of energy emitted by being reflected by said energy reflection member; and

an energy control unit controlling operating conditions of said energy supply unit based on said detection unit detection results; and

wherein said detection unit detects said energy reflection member temperature.

2. A thermal treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said detection unit is provided in areas of said energy reflection member except a reflection surface of the energy reflection member where the energy is received.

3. A thermal treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said detection unit is provided on a back of the reflection surface of said energy reflection member.

4. A thermal treatment apparatus for thermally treating a vital tissue by means of applying energy, comprising:

an energy supply unit for supplying energy for treatment;

an energy output unit that is connected to said energy supply unit and has an energy reflection member for reflecting energy supplied by said energy supply unit;

a drive unit that changes the position and angle of said energy reflection member;

a detection unit that detects information concerning emission function of energy emitted by being reflected by said energy reflection member; and

an energy control unit controlling operating conditions of said energy supply unit based on said detection unit detection results; and

a monitoring unit for monitoring operating conditions of said drive unit;

wherein

said energy control unit controls operating conditions of said energy supply unit using output results from said monitoring unit.

5. A thermal treatment apparatus for thermally treating a vital tissue by means of applying energy, comprising:

an energy supply unit for supplying energy for treatment;

an energy output unit that is connected to said energy supply unit and has an energy reflection member for reflecting energy supplied by said energy supply unit;

a drive unit that changes the position and angle of said energy reflection member;

a detection unit that detects information concerning emission function of energy emitted by being reflected by said energy reflection member; and

an energy control unit controlling operating conditions of said energy supply unit based on said detection unit detection results; and

wherein said detection unit detects reciprocating motion of said energy reflection member.

6. A thermal treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein

said detection unit has an energy detection member for detecting energy emitted by said energy reflection member when said energy reflecting member is at a specified position, thus detecting said energy reflection member'"'"'s reciprocating motion by measuring time intervals between said energy detection member'"'"'s detections.

7. A thermal treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein

said detection unit has a position detection member for detecting whether said energy reflection member is at a specified position, thus detecting said energy reflection member'"'"'s reciprocating motion by measuring time intervals between said position detection member'"'"'s detections.

8. A thermal treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein

said detection unit has a position detection member for detecting whether said energy reflection member is at a first position and an energy detection member for detecting energy emitted by said energy reflection member when said energy reflecting member is at a second position, thus detecting said energy reflection member'"'"'s reciprocating motion by measuring time intervals at said position detection member and said energy detection member.

9. A thermal treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein

said detection unit further detects surface temperature of the vital tissues being thermally treated.

10. A thermal treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein

said detection unit has a single energy detection member for detecting energy emitted by said energy reflection member when said energy reflecting member is at a specified position, thus detecting said energy reflection member'"'"'s reciprocating motion by measuring time intervals between said energy detection member'"'"'s detections as well as detecting said vital tissues'"'"' surface temperature by means of said energy detection member.

11. A thermal treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 9, further comprising

a diagnosis unit for performing diagnosis concerning emission functions of the energy emitted by said energy reflection member.

12. A thermal treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 5, further comprising

a wall member on which a pair of grooves are formed for supporting slidably protrusions provided on both sides of said energy reflection member, wherein

said wall member has a containing part for storing said detection unit.

13. A thermal treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein

said detection unit has either an optical sensor or a temperature sensor.

14. A thermal treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said energy supply unit supplies laser beams as the energy.

15. A thermal treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein

said energy output unit comprises:

a long and slender insertion part that is provided with said energy reflection member and can be inserted into a living body;

an endoscope that is inserted into said insertion part for observing vital tissues; and

a front observation window and a side observation window for making it possible to observe the front and side directions of said insertion part by means of said endoscope.

16. A thermal treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein

said energy output unit further comprises:

a guide lumen for supporting said endoscope so that it can move from proximal side of said insertion part to said front observation window'"'"'s vicinity.

17. A thermal treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein

said energy output unit further comprises:

a prevention part that prevents said endoscope from contacting with said front observation window.

18. A thermal treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein

said prevention part has a tapered construction formed to reduce diameter toward said front observation window, wherein the distal end diameter of said tapered construction is smaller than the endoscope'"'"'s diameter.

19. A thermal treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein

said endoscope has a filter that prevents said energy from passing.

20. A thermal treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein

said front observation window is perpendicular to or tilting from perpendicular to an optical axis of said endoscope by an angle smaller than a specified angle.

21. A thermal treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein

said front observation window is formed on an end cap provided at a tip of said insertion part and said end cap has a spherical smooth shape.

22. A thermal treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein

said end cap has an irrigation outlet port for releasing irrigation liquid for washing said front observation window'"'"'s outer periphery;

and

said insertion part has an irrigation liquid passage to guide the irrigation liquid to said irrigation outlet port.

23. A thermal treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein

said insertion part has a coolant passage to guide coolant for cooling said energy reflection member and said insertion part'"'"'s surface;

and

said irrigation liquid passage and said coolant passage are formed independently inside said insertion part.

24. A thermal treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein

said end cap is formed integrally with said front observation window.

25. A thermal treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein

said end cap is made of a material that filters out laser beams in areas except in a vicinity of said front observation window of said end cap.