Multi-function optical probe system for medical and veterinary applications
First Claim
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1. An imaging system providing endoillumination and OCT probe functionalities via a single optical fiber, the system comprising:
- a handpiece having a probe tip disposed at an end thereof;
disposed within the handpiece, a plurality of distinct parallel waveguides provided within a single optical fiber terminating within the probe tip; and
a plurality of light sources, a first one of the light sources being optically coupled only to a first one of the waveguides of the fiber at a proximal end thereof and a second one of the light sources being optically coupled only to a second one of the waveguides of the fiber at the proximal end, light from the first light source being propagated from the proximal end to the probe tip in the first waveguide and light from the second light source being propagated from the proximal end to the probe tip in the second waveguide such that, at the probe tip, a plurality of different probe functionalities are provided; and
driver hardware for controlling the endoillumination and OCT probe functionalities,wherein the first and second light sources provide the endoillumination and OCT probe functionalities, respectively.
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Abstract
A device includes a handpiece having a probe tip disposed at an end thereof, and, connected to the handpiece such that, at the probe tip, a functionality of each is provided, a plurality of probes. The probes may include an optical coherence tomography (OCT) probe, an endoillumination probe, a laser therapy probe, an ultrasound imaging probe, an electrocautery probe, an RF ablation probe, a cryosurgical probe, an irrigator, and/or a mechanical probe.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. An imaging system providing endoillumination and OCT probe functionalities via a single optical fiber, the system comprising:
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a handpiece having a probe tip disposed at an end thereof; disposed within the handpiece, a plurality of distinct parallel waveguides provided within a single optical fiber terminating within the probe tip; and a plurality of light sources, a first one of the light sources being optically coupled only to a first one of the waveguides of the fiber at a proximal end thereof and a second one of the light sources being optically coupled only to a second one of the waveguides of the fiber at the proximal end, light from the first light source being propagated from the proximal end to the probe tip in the first waveguide and light from the second light source being propagated from the proximal end to the probe tip in the second waveguide such that, at the probe tip, a plurality of different probe functionalities are provided; and driver hardware for controlling the endoillumination and OCT probe functionalities, wherein the first and second light sources provide the endoillumination and OCT probe functionalities, respectively. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of forming a device, the method comprising:
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providing a handpiece having a probe tip disposed at an end thereof; disposing an optical fiber comprising a plurality of distinct parallel waveguides within the handpiece such that the fiber terminates at an output facet within the probe tip; and optically coupling a first of light source only to a first one of the multiple waveguides of the fiber at a proximal end thereof and optically coupling a second light source only to a second one of the waveguides of the fiber at the proximal end so as to provide at the probe tip, via different light outputs at the output facet, a plurality of different probe functionalities comprising an optical coherence tomography (OCT) probe functionality and an endoillumination probe functionality.
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Specification