JPH01135371A - Apparatus for laser irradiation - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To accurately heat a target lesion to a prescribed temperature with laser, by regulating the flow rate of fluid, which flows through a fluid passage of a laser probe and is sprayed on the target lesion, on the basis of the temperature of the lesion. CONSTITUTION:The tip of a laser probe 1 is set at a target lesion with He-Ne laser generated from a He-Ne laser generator 22. A YAG laser generator 21 is then activated to heat the target tumor lesion with YAG laser. The temperature of the lesion is detected by a temperature sensor 31. A control means 26 controls a fluid supplying source 25 to regulate the flow rate of fluid, e.g., air, which flows through a fluid passage 10 of the laser probe 1 and is sprayed on the target lesion, on the basis of the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 31. The temperature of the lesion is thus automatically adjusted within a prescribed temperature range.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a laser beam irradiation device used, for example, when treating living tissue in a body cavity by irradiating it with a laser beam.

[Prior art] A method of treating a tumor site by heating it to about 42-43'C (
hyperthermia) has become popular in recent years. It is conceivable to apply this method to an affected area within a body cavity, and in this case, various heating source systems are conceivable.

One such method is a method of irradiating laser light with a laser probe. When laser light is used to heat a tumor, if the tumor continues to be irradiated with laser light, the temperature of the tumor increases unilaterally. Therefore, the surgeon should check that the temperature of the tumor is between 42 and 43.
The irradiation switch (usually a foot switch) of the laser device must be opened and closed frequently to maintain the temperature at °C.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, when one treatment time is as long as 20 to 30 minutes, the above operation is troublesome and requires a lot of effort. It is extremely difficult to accurately maintain the temperature between 42 and 43@C.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a laser beam irradiation device that can be heated to a predetermined temperature with high accuracy, with simple heating operation that requires almost no effort. It is about providing.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, the laser beam irradiation device of the present invention includes a laser light source that emits a heating laser beam, and a laser beam that is emitted from the laser light source to the irradiated area. a laser probe having a laser guide that guides the irradiation area and a fluid passage that guides a fluid for temperature adjustment to the irradiation area; a fluid supply source that supplies fluid to the irradiation area through the fluid passage; and detecting the temperature of the irradiation area. and a control means for controlling the supply operation of the fluid to be supplied to the irradiation site through the fluid passage when the temperature measured by the temperature detection means is out of a set range.

[Function] When the temperature of the irradiation site measured by the temperature detection means exceeds a set temperature range, the control means discharges the fluid to the irradiation site through the fluid passage of the laser probe or increases the flow rate; If the measured temperature of the irradiation site is below a set temperature range, the flow rate of fluid to the irradiation site is reduced or stopped through the fluid passage of the laser probe. Therefore, the area irradiated with the laser beam is automatically adjusted within the set range. Therefore, the heating operation is simple and requires almost no effort, and the area irradiated with the laser beam can be heated to a predetermined temperature with high accuracy.

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention. 1st
1 in the figure is a laser probe, and this laser probe 1
It has a thickness that allows it to be inserted into an insertion channel of an endoscope (not shown), and is flexible enough to be bent along the insertion channel. Further, a hollow connector 2 is attached to the base end of the laser probe 1. The connector 2 is detachably attached to an external device 3.

In the laser probe 1, a laser guide 5 made of a fiber is inserted into an exterior sheath 4, and an emitting tip 6 of the laser guide 5 faces an opening at the tip of the exterior sheath 4. In addition,
The exit tip 6 may also be constructed as a separate piece, for example by a sapphire tip. Further, the entrance base end 7 of the laser guide 5 is fixed at a fixed position within the connector 2, and the laser beam is condensed by a condensing lens 8 and then incident.

Further, the connector 2 of the laser probe 1 is provided with a base 9, and the base 9 communicates with a fluid passage 10 formed by the insides of the connector 2 and the exterior sheath 4. Furthermore, a fluid supply tube 11 is connected to this q gold 90, and fluid is supplied to the fluid passage 10 of the laser probe 1 through this fluid supply tube 11, and is ejected from the distal opening of the outer sheath 4 into the body cavity, for example. It looks like this.

On the other hand, the external bag 5f3 includes a YAG laser generator 21 that generates a YAG laser beam for heating and a He-N laser beam for a guide light.
A He-Ne laser generator 22 that generates e-laser light is provided. The He-Ne laser beam emitted from this He-Ne laser generator 22 is transmitted to a dichroic mirror 23.
Through the laser guide 5 in the laser probe 1
The light is made to enter the base end 7 of the incident light. Also, YA
The YAG laser beam generated by the G laser generator 21 is reflected by the mirror 24 and the above-mentioned google clock mirror 23, respectively, and enters the entrance base end 7 of the laser guide 5 in the laser probe 1 in the same manner as described above. The He--Ne laser beam and the YAG laser beam are guided through a laser guide 5 in the laser probe 1 and are emitted from an output tip 6 of the laser guide 5.

Note that the oscillation operations of the YAG laser generator 21 and the He-Ne laser generator 22 are controlled by a control section and a switch section (not shown).

Further, the external device 3 is provided with a fluid supply source 25 connected to the fluid supply tube 11, and the start and stop of the supply operation of the fluid supply source 25 and the supply amount at the time of supply are controlled by the control means 26. It looks like this. Further, the types of fluid supplied by this fluid supply source 25 include water, air, carbon dioxide gas, and the like.

Further, a temperature sensor 31 is provided as a temperature detection means using the laser probe 1 or independently. The temperature sensor 31 is composed of, for example, a thermal lightning pair, and the temperature sensing section 32 is provided near the irradiation site of the YAG laser beam emitted from the emission tip 6 of the laser guide 5, and detects the temperature of the site and sends it to the external device. The temperature is transmitted to the temperature monitor 33 located at

Next, the operation of the laser beam irradiation device will be explained.

First, the laser probe 1 is introduced into the body cavity through the insertion channel of an endoscope that has been inserted into the body cavity in advance.
Aim the tip of the laser probe l toward the tumor within the body cavity. Furthermore, the fluid supply source 25 is made ready for operation.

Then, the He--Ne laser generator 22 in the external device 3 is activated to emit the He--Ne laser beam from the emission tip 6 of the laser guide 5 to determine the scheduled irradiation position. Once this scheduled irradiation position is determined, the temperature sensing part 32 of the temperature sensor 31 is set near the position. Normally, the temperature sensing section 32 is positioned by inserting it inside the irradiation site.

゛Then, the YAG laser generator 21 is activated. As a result, the YAG laser beam is reflected by the mirror 24 and the clock mirror 23, respectively, and enters the input base end 7 of the laser guide 5 in the laser probe 1. moreover,
The laser beam is emitted from the emission tip 6 through the laser guide 5 and irradiates the tumor site. The guide light is irradiated even during this irradiation, so that the irradiation position can be confirmed using an endoscope. Note that the output of the YAG laser is set lower than the output that carbonizes the tissue to be irradiated.

The tumor site irradiated with this YAG laser light is heated, and the temperature of the tumor site is detected by the temperature sensor 31. When the temperature exceeds the set temperature range of 42 to 43''C, the control means 26 increases the output of the fluid supply source 26 and sprays the fluid onto the irradiation site through the fluid passage 10 of the laser probe 1. , for example, by increasing the air flow rate.This suppresses the temperature rise at the tumor site.On the other hand, if the measured temperature at the irradiation site is below the set temperature range, the fluid passage 10 of the laser probe 1 is increased. The flow rate of the fluid sprayed onto the irradiation area through the laser beam is reduced.Therefore, the temperature of the laser beam irradiation area stops decreasing.In this way, the temperature is automatically adjusted within the set temperature range.

Therefore, the operator does not need to adjust the temperature.
Even with long-term heating, almost no effort is required, and the area irradiated with the laser beam can be heated to a predetermined temperature with high accuracy. Therefore, the therapeutic effect can be improved.

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, a flow jl m jm valve 41 is provided in the middle of the fluid passage in the fluid supply tube 11, and the flow rate adjustment valve 41 is operated by the control means 26 to adjust the supply flow rate. The rest is the same as the first embodiment.

In each of the above embodiments, the flow rate of the fluid to be supplied is adjusted according to the detected temperature, but instead of increasing or decreasing the flow rate, the supply operation and supply stop may be performed. In other words,
When the temperature exceeds the set temperature range of 42 to 43'C, the fluid supply is cut off, and on the other hand, when the measured temperature of the irradiated area is below the set temperature range, the fluid passage of the laser probe 1 is cut off. 10, the fluid is sprayed onto the irradiation site.

Furthermore, in addition to adjusting the flow rate of the fluid to be supplied, the supply operation and supply stop may be performed.

In addition, treatment lasers are not limited to YAG lasers,
An Ar laser, a carbon dioxide laser, a semiconductor laser, etc. may be used.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the present invention discharges fluid to the irradiation region through the fluid passage of the laser probe or reduces the flow rate when the temperature of the irradiation region measured by the temperature detection means exceeds the set temperature range. conversely, if the measured temperature of the irradiation site is below a set temperature range, the flow of fluid to the irradiation site through the fluid passage of the laser probe is reduced or cut off. Therefore, the area irradiated with the laser beam is automatically adjusted within the set range. Therefore, the heating operation is simple and requires almost no effort, and the area irradiated with the laser beam can be heated to a predetermined temperature with high precision.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a configuration explanatory diagram showing the first embodiment of the present invention;
The figure is a configuration explanatory diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention. 1...Laser probe, 4...Exterior sheath, 5...
・Laser guide, 10...Fluid passage, 21...YA
G laser generator, 25... fluid supply source, 26...
Control means, 31... temperature sensor, 41... flow control valve. Applicant Representative Patent Attorney Atsushi Tsuboi Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] a laser probe that has a laser light source that emits a heating laser beam, a laser guide that guides the laser light emitted from the laser light source to an irradiation area, and a fluid passage that guides a temperature regulating fluid to the irradiation area; a fluid supply source for supplying fluid to the irradiation site through the fluid passage; and a temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the irradiation site;
A laser beam irradiation device comprising: control means for controlling a supply operation of fluid to be supplied to the irradiation site through the fluid passage when the temperature measured by the temperature detection means is out of a set range.