System and method for generating infrared light for use in medical procedures

• US 7,633,673 B1
• Filed: 09/08/2008
• Issued: 12/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Omni Continuum LLC
• Original Assignee: Cheetah Omni LLC
• Inventors: Islam, Mohammed N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hellner; Mark
• Application Number:
  US12/206,432
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: 359/333, 359/334, 372/6
• US Class Current: 359/333
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0004 for electronic operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00042 for mechanical operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/05 Surgical care
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/70 Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0013 Medical image data A61B1/00011, A61B6/56, A61B8/56 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0075 by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy A61B5/0071 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02042 Determining blood loss or bleeding, e.g. during a surgical procedure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/06 Devices, other than using radiation, for detecting or locating foreign bodies for removing same A61B17/50 ; determining position of probes within or on the body of the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7264 Classification of physiological signals or data, e.g. using neural networks, statistical classifiers, expert systems or fuzzy systems neural networks per se G06N3/00; expert systems per se G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7435 Displaying user selection data, e.g. icons in a graphical user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7445 Display arrangements, e.g. multiple display units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/749 Voice-controlled interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/302 : in an optical fibre

Abstract

A medical device includes an insertable portion capable of being inserted into an orifice associated with a body of a patient. The insertable portion comprising an automated head unit capable of being manipulated in at least two axes of motion based at least in part on one or more control signals. The medical device further includes one or more controllers coupled to the automated head unit. In one particular embodiment, the one or more controllers generate the one or more control signals based at least in part on an input signal.

Claims

1. A mid-infrared light source, comprising:

a multiplexer operable to combine a first laser signal and a second laser signal to generate a first optical signal, the first optical signal comprising one or more wavelengths;

a gain fiber coupled to the multiplexer and operable to receive at least the first optical signal, the gain fiber comprising a first waveguide structure;

a second waveguide structure coupled to the gain fiber and operable to wavelength shift at least one wavelength of the first optical signal to a longer wavelength optical signal, the longer wavelength optical signal comprising a wavelength in the range of 1.7 microns or more, the second waveguide structure comprising a wavelength shifting fiber coupled to a nonlinear element, wherein the wavelength shifting fiber operates to wavelength shift the at least one wavelength of the first optical signal to a second optical wavelength and the nonlinear element operates to wavelength shift the second optical wavelength to the longer wavelength optical signal, and wherein the wavelength shifting fiber is substantially different than the nonlinear element.

2. The mid-infrared light source of claim 1, wherein the gain fiber and the wavelength shifting fiber comprise a cladding-pumped fiber laser.

3. The mid-infrared light source of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the nonlinear element is an optical waveguide comprising a material selected from the group consisting of ZBLAN, sulfide, selenide, and telluride.

4. The mid-infrared light source of claim 1, wherein the nonlinear element comprises an oscillator comprising one or more reflectors surrounding a material with a nonlinear optical effect.

5. The mid-infrared light source of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the longer wavelength optical signal is adapted for use in a medical procedure selected from the group consisting of:

a diagnostic procedure to detect tissue abnormalities,

a tissue damaging ablation procedure with reduced collateral damage,

a selective damaging ablation procedure using wavelengths in a range of approximately 3.2 to 4 microns,

a differential spectroscopic measurement based at least in part on a comparison of measurements taken from different portions of a sample, and

a measurement based at least in part on a comparison of a plurality of wavelengths transmitted through a material.

6. A mid-infrared medical apparatus, comprising:

a light source comprising;

a gain fiber operable to receive at least a first optical signal comprising one or more wavelengths, the gain fiber comprising a first waveguide structure;

a second waveguide structure coupled to the gain fiber and operable to wavelength shift at least one wavelength of the first optical signal to a longer wavelength optical signal, the longer wavelength optical signal comprising a wavelength in the range of 1.7 microns or more, the second waveguide structure comprising a wavelength shifting fiber coupled to a nonlinear element, wherein the wavelength shifting fiber operates to wavelength shift the at least one wavelength of the first optical signal to a second optical wavelength and the nonlinear element operates to wavelength shift the second optical wavelength to the longer wavelength optical signal, and wherein the wavelength shifting fiber is substantially different than the nonlinear element;

a scope coupled to the light source, the scope receiving at least a portion of the longer wavelength optical signal, the scope adapted to be inserted into a patient'"'"'s body during a medical procedure, the scope comprising;

an insertable portion comprising a transmission waveguide structure adapted for guiding the portion of the longer wavelength optical signal to a tissue sample, wherein the portion of the longer wavelength optical signal is adapted to perform a damaging procedure or diagnostics on the tissue sample; and

a base portion comprising a proximal end, a distal end, a controller and a mechanical motion system to manipulate a movement of the insertable portion, the base portion coupled to the light source at the proximal end and coupled to the insertable portion at the distal end.

7. The mid-infrared medical apparatus of claim 6, wherein the damaging procedure is adapted to reduce collateral damage on the tissue sample by having at least a part of the portion of the longer wavelength optical signal in a range between approximately 3.2 and 4 microns.

8. The mid-infrared medical apparatus of claim 6, wherein the damaging procedure is selective damage that is adapted to preferentially damage anomalous tissue compared with normal tissue based on a higher absorption in the anomalous tissue.

9. The mid-infrared medical apparatus of claim 6, wherein the diagnostics comprises the portion of the longer wavelength optical signal adapted for use in a measurement based at least in part on a comparison of a plurality of wavelengths transmitted or reflected from the tissue sample.

10. The mid-infrared medical apparatus of claim 6, wherein the nonlinear element comprises an oscillator comprising one or more reflectors surrounding a material with a nonlinear optical effect.

11. The mid-infrared medical apparatus of, claim 10, wherein the gain fiber and the wavelength shifting fiber comprise a cladding-pumped fiber laser.

12. The mid-infrared medical apparatus of claim 6, wherein at least a portion of the nonlinear element is an optical waveguide comprising a material selected from the group consisting of ZBLAN, sulfide, selenide, fused silica, and telluride.

13. A mid-infrared light source, comprising:

a multiplexer operable to combine a first laser signal and a second laser signal to generate a first optical signal, the first optical signal comprising one or more wavelengths;

a gain fiber coupled to the multiplexer and operable to receive at least the first optical signal;

a wavelength shifting structure coupled to the gain fiber and operable to wavelength shift at least one wavelength of the first optical signal to a longer wavelength optical signal, the longer wavelength optical signal comprising a wavelength in the range of 1.7 microns or more, the wavelength shifting structure comprising a wavelength shifting fiber coupled to a nonlinear oscillator, wherein the wavelength shifting fiber operates to wavelength shift the at least one wavelength of the first optical signal to a second optical wavelength and the nonlinear oscillator operates to wavelength shift the second optical wavelength to the longer wavelength optical signal, and wherein the wavelength shifting fiber is substantially different than the nonlinear oscillator.

14. The mid-infrared light source of claim 13, wherein the first laser signal operates at approximately 980 nm and the gain fiber comprises at least in part a cladding pumped fiber.

15. The mid-infrared light source of claim 13, wherein the wavelength shifting fiber comprises one or more gratings.

16. The mid-infrared light source of claim 13, wherein the gain fiber and the wavelength shifting fiber comprise a cladding-pumped fiber laser.

17. The mid-infrared light source of claim 13, wherein the nonlinear oscillator comprises one or more reflectors surrounding a nonlinear element.

18. The mid-infrared light source of claim 17, wherein the nonlinear oscillator comprises a cascaded Raman oscillator and the nonlinear element is an optical fiber.

19. The mid-infrared light source of claim 13,

wherein the gain fiber comprises at least in part a cladding pumped fiber;

wherein the wavelength shifting fiber comprises one or more gratings; and

wherein the nonlinear oscillator comprises one or more reflectors surrounding a nonlinear element.

20. The mid-infrared light source of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the longer wavelength optical signal is adapted for use in a medical procedure selected from the group consisting of:

a diagnostic procedure to detect tissue abnormalities,

a tissue damaging procedure with reduced collateral damage,

a selective damaging procedure using wavelengths in a range of approximately 3.2 to 4 microns,

a differential spectroscopic measurement based at least in part on a comparison of measurements taken from different portions of a sample, and

a measurement based at least in part on a comparison of a plurality of wavelengths transmitted through a material.