JPH02154769A - Laser treatment equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To irradiate an affected part with a laser beam having a uniformized intensity distribution and to obtain a satisfactory treatment effect by providing a laser beam uniformizing means in a hand piece. CONSTITUTION:Space for housing a transparent square column shaped laser beam uniformizing means 7 is formed in a holder 8 of a cylindrical hand piece 6, and the laser beam uniformizing means 7 can be fitted to the holder 8 by inserting the laser beam uniformizing means 7 into the space and fitting the edge part 11 in an inserting hole 34 at the edge part of the holder 8. The laser beam having a peculiar intensity distribution becomes the laser beam having the uniform intensity after the laser beam collides with four-side walls and repeats total reflection while the laser beam passes through the laser beam uniformizing means 7, and the uniformized laser beam is outputted to an external part. Consequently, the affected part can be irradiated with the laser beam having the uniformized intensity distribution, and the satisfactory treatment effect can be obtained.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] CObject of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a laser treatment device for plastic surgery or dermatology.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, the treatment of maternity lesions has been approached from several fields such as surgery, dermatology, and radiology. Surgical treatments include excision and tightening, skin grafting, and epidermolysis; dermatological treatments include drug therapy, dry ice therapy, and electrolysis; radiation treatments include radium The main ones include therapy, cobalt therapy, and strontium therapy. All of these methods have disadvantages, such as low effectiveness compared to the size of the invasion, the treatment itself causing pain to the patient, the need for hospitalization, and the long treatment period. Improvements have been desired.

In recent years, histological research on the matrix has progressed, and the clarification of the matrix is gradually becoming clearer. Pigmented abnormal cells, such as so-called red birthmarks, are generally less bright than normal cells, and absorb visible light more strongly than normal cells, which are brighter.

Therefore, when these abnormal cells are irradiated with light having high energy in the visible light range, this light is selectively absorbed by the abnormal cells and converted into thermal energy. As a result, abnormal cells are strongly burned and destroyed. On the other hand, normal cells generally have high brightness and therefore absorb little of the light. Therefore, there is little damage to normal cells due to heat. Therefore, if such light is applied to abnormal blood vessel clusters, the abnormal cells will be selectively burned and removed, but normal cells and sweat glands with relatively high brightness,
Since skin absorbs almost no light, irreversible damage is avoided, and burns on normal cells and skin surfaces caused by light heal quickly with the formation of minute scars.

As mentioned above, the normal cells of the affected nevus absorb less light energy, while the colored cells absorb more light energy. By setting the energy density of the laser to an appropriate value, it is possible to selectively destroy and eliminate colored cells.Laser light has emerged as an example of wavelengths in the visible light range, and this laser light A laser treatment device utilizes this as a treatment method.

Currently, various medical devices used for this laser treatment have been proposed, including a laser treatment device as shown in FIG. 1, for example. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional laser treatment device. In FIG. 1, 1 is the device main body, and the laser oscillator IB
The S power supply IA, operation panel IC, and parts necessary for laser oscillation are incorporated to form the main body of the device. Oscillation part I
The laser beam irradiated from B is guided by a light guide fiber 3 via a connector 2, and is emitted from the tip of a hand piece 4 to be used as energy light for treatment.

Lasers that have a relatively large output in the visible light range and are in practical use are effective for the treatment of colored nevi.
14 Argon laser represented by OA, wavelength &, 9
There is a 43A ruby laser, etc., and although the ruby laser has a large output and can illuminate a large area, it has the disadvantage that the interval between irradiations is long because it is pulsed light.

On the other hand, although the argon Q laser has the disadvantage of a relatively low output of about a few watts, it has the advantage of good controllability of the laser beam, small irradiation area, good operability, and easy handling. Suitable for treating areas that require treatment.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) However, as described above, in such a device, for example, a ruby laser device, the operator holds the handpiece 4 in his hand during treatment, and adjusts the irradiation position to the handpiece 4 while checking the affected area with the naked eye. Treatment is performed by sequentially moving the laser beam by the amount of laser beam irradiated from the tip, and by using a foot switch or the like to intermittently irradiate the laser beam.

As described above, since the conventional apparatus uses the laser output from the light guide fiber 3, the output intensity distribution is not uniform, making it difficult to perform good treatment.

This invention has been made with the aim of eliminating the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a method for performing treatment by irradiating laser light from a laser light source onto an affected part of a living body using a handpiece for treatment operation. In the laser treatment apparatus, the laser beam equalizing means has a transparent rectangular column shape and uniformizes the light intensity distribution output from the other end by reflecting the laser beam incident from one end by an internal wall surface. It is characterized by being provided within the handpiece.

(Function) By providing a laser beam uniformization means (hereinafter referred to as a kaleidoscope) inside the handpiece, the incident laser beam hits the four walls and is repeatedly reflected as it travels inside the handpiece. The light intensity distribution is made uniform over time, and a uniform irradiation surface can be obtained.

(Example) FIG. 2 shows a partially cutaway perspective view of a hand piece 4 equipped with a kaleidoscope of the present invention.

In FIG. 2, 6 is a cylindrical handpiece, 8 is a cylindrical holder of this handpiece 6, and a transparent rectangular columnar kaleidoscope 7 is inserted into this holder 8, and the handpiece is The tip of piece 6, i.e. holder 8
The rectangular columnar kaleidoscope 7 protrudes by a predetermined length from the end side of the holder 8, and a recess is formed inside the end of the holder 8, in which the rectangular cap-shaped kaleidoscope end side is formed. An insertion hole 34 is provided so that the protector 11 can be manually fitted and attached.

The retainer 11 is composed of a rectangular transparent cylindrical body 12 and a transparent plate-like body 13 for closing one opening thereof, and the end portion 14 of the transparent plate-like body 13 is attached to the affected part of the living body. When they come into contact with each other, the laser beam whose intensity distribution has been made uniform by the kaleidoscope 7 is transmitted through the end face 14 and irradiated onto the affected area. In addition, the end face 14 of the transparent plate-like body 13 is configured to be detachable from the transparent cylindrical body 12 at a semi-axis, since the end face 14 becomes contaminated by tissue fragments, carbonization, cauterized pieces, etc. of the affected part of the living body during laser beam irradiation. Use while doing so.

Furthermore, the central portion of the hand piece 6 is connected to the holder 8.
The other end surface is fixed with screws 37 to holders 15a and 15b which are divided into two parts and fixed with screws 36 for holding the kaleidoscope 7.

In addition, the curved ends of the holders 15a and 15b are provided with calide.
Guide lights lf and 3o, such as miniature lamps, are installed at a position off the optical axis of the scope 7, and electrical contacts 22 and 24 are provided for supplying electricity to the light guide 32 that guides the laser beam and the guide light source 3o. A receptacle 16, which also constitutes a part of a connector 36, is fixed with a screw 31. Incidentally, the light emitted from the guide light source 30 is configured to be emitted toward the entrance end face of the kaleidoscope 1.

In the case of the above-mentioned configuration, a laser beam having an intensity distribution unique to a laser beam enters from one end of the transparent rectangular columnar kaleidoscope 7, and as it travels inside the kaleidoscope, it hits the four walls and undergoes total reflection. As the laser beam returns, the light intensity distribution is made uniform, and the other end of the kaleidoscope 7 outputs a square laser beam to the outside, that is, to the affected area, resulting in a uniform irradiation surface and good treatment.

In the laser treatment device configured as described above, the operator grasps the handpiece 6, confirms its position on the patient's required area, brings the transparent plate-like body 13 into close contact, and directs the laser beam into the fiber by operating a switch. The irradiated laser light is emitted from the output part, and as it travels inside the kaleidoscope 7, it is repeatedly reflected on the four walls, and is output from the output end of the kaleidoscope, and is emitted from the end face of the transparent plate-like body 13. 14 and is irradiated onto the affected area, making it possible to perform good treatment without unevenness in irradiation with a uniform intensity distribution.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a laser beam with a -like output intensity distribution, and it is possible to perform good treatment.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the entire laser treatment device, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view partially showing a cross section of a handpiece section equipped with a conventional kaleidoscope. 1... Device main body, 6... Handpiece 7
... Kaleidoscope agent Patent attorney Nori Ken Yudo Kondo Takeshi Kondo

Claims (1)

[Claims] A laser treatment device that performs treatment by irradiating laser light from a laser light source onto an affected part of a living body using a handpiece for treatment operation, has a transparent rectangular column shape and directs the laser light incident from one end to the inside of the body. A laser treatment device characterized in that a laser beam equalizing means is provided in the hand piece to uniformize the distribution of light intensity output from the other end by a reflection action by a wall surface.