Method for deep tissue laser treatments using low intensity laser therapy causing selective destruction of Nociceptive nerves

• US 9,149,647 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2010
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Claser, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Claser, Inc.
• Inventors: Srinivasan, Pattanam Dorai
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomson, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Downey, John R
• Application Number:
  US12/631,835
• Publication Number:
  US 20100152715A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,097 Days
• Field of Search: 606 2- 19, 128/898, 607 88- 94
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2005 with beam delivery through an interstitially insertable device, e.g. needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0612 using probes penetrating tissue; interstitial probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0662 Visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0601 Apparatus for use inside the body

Abstract

Deep Tissue Low Intensity Laser Therapy or Treatment (DT-LILT) as described here is a novel methodology through which selective destruction of nociceptive (pain) nerves can be brought upon by a medical laser delivery system using the phenomenon of absorption and cell resonance. Using this method nerve cells that transmit pain can be selectively destroyed leaving the surrounding tissues intact as no heat is generated. The delivery system incorporates a fine needle through which a 703 nm (range 690 to 710) pulsed wave low intensity laser is delivered deep into the body, directly to the area of pain causing selective destruction of pain nerves. Laser devices based on this methodology should be used only by the physician or equivalent professional community since diagnosing and defining the area of pain is critical to providing successful pain relief.

Key Words: DT-LILT (Deep Tissue Low Intensity Laser Therapy or Treatment)

Claims

1. A method of laser therapy for treatment of pain conditions by selective non-thermal destruction of Nociceptive nerves that are conducting pain, comprising:

determining a laser point on a human body for application of a low intensity laser beam;

inserting a spinal needle into the human body at the determined laser point to contact the spinal needle'"'"'s distal tip with Nociceptive nerves that are conducting pain;

selecting a laser wavelength in a range between 700 nm to 705 nm;

generating a low intensity pulsed laser beam at the selected laser wavelength with an average output power in a range between 1 mW and 6 mW and with a known pulse duration in a range of nano-seconds or pico-seconds;

transmitting the laser beam through a laser fiber to emerge at the spinal needle'"'"'s distal tip to contact the Nociceptive nerves; and

applying the low intensity pulsed laser beam at the selected laser wavelength and with the known pulse duration to the Nociceptive nerves for a time interval between 5 seconds and 10 seconds to induce absorption of the laser beam by the Nociceptive nerves for generating non-thermal nerve cell resonance of the Nociceptive nerves.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the low intensity pulsed laser beam comprises:

configuring a laser generator to provide the average output power in a range between 3.2 mW and 4.8 mW.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the laser fiber is fixedly inserted within a hollow cavity of the spinal needle to the spinal needle'"'"'s distal tip, the method further comprising:

attaching the laser fiber to the spinal needle by using a Luer lock mechanism, whereby the laser fiber and the spinal needle operate as one non-detachable unit without any movements there between and without any displacement of the laser fiber within the hollow cavity of the spinal needle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the low intensity pulsed laser beam for the time interval between 5 seconds and 10 seconds comprises:

configuring a timer with a preset time interval for application of the laser beam, wherein the preset time interval includes one of 5 seconds or 10 seconds.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein inserting the spinal needle into the human body at the determined laser point comprises:

guiding the spinal needle by clinical diagnosis and fluoroscopy to the Nociceptive nerves.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a laser point on a human body for application of the low intensity laser beam comprises:

selecting a specific pattern of laser beam contact with the Nociceptive nerves at lumbar spinal facet joints of the human body, wherein the specific pattern is selected from the group consisting of 8 points in a circle around the facet joints;

a continuous circle around the facet joints;

4 quadrants circled around the facet joints;

a continuous cross pattern on the facet joints;

continuous multiple cross patterns on the facet joints;

multiple points forming a cross pattern on the facet joint; and

multiple points forming multiple cross patterns on the facet joints.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the laser fiber is selected based on a diameter of the laser fiber that includes one of 200 micron or 300 micron.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the pulse duration includes 25 nano-seconds.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the low intensity pulsed laser beam comprises:

configuring a laser generator to generate the low intensity pulsed laser beam with a laser output peak power of 40 nano-watts.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the laser output peak power includes a range of +/−

8 nano-watts around 40 nano-watts.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

limiting an area of application of the laser beam to the Nociceptive nerves based on a diameter of the laser fiber.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the spinal needle includes a 22G or smaller spinal needle.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the spinal needle includes a 25G spinal needle that has an inner diameter of 0.5 mm.

14. The method of claim 3, wherein the spinal needle includes a Quincke spinal needle.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the spinal needle is selected based on a diameter of the spinal needle.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the diameter of the spinal needle is determined to limit the area of application of the laser beam to the Nociceptive nerves.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the laser fiber is selected based on a diameter of the laser fiber that is less than 0.7 mm.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the low intensity pulsed laser beam comprises:

configuring a laser generator to provide the average output power in the range between 1 mW and 6 mW.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

destroying the Nociceptive nerves without destroying surrounding nerves that are not conducting pain and without destroying surrounding tissues based on generating the non-thermal nerve cell resonance of the Nociceptive nerves and limiting the area of application of the laser beam to the Nociceptive nerves.