JPS605172A - Laser endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a laser endoscope that performs treatment by irradiating a laser beam onto an affected area using an endoscope.

Conventional configuration and problems The endoscope has a flexible tube with a built-in optical fiber, and is inserted into the throat, stomach, intestines, and respiratory tract of the patient for observation and diagnosis. It is not suitable for taking photographs, etc. In recent years, an endoscope incorporating a laser irradiation device (hereinafter referred to as a laser endoscope) has been developed.
)1. Treatments such as hemostasis, coagulation, and cauterization began to be performed by irradiating the area with irradiation.

When using this laser light to perform treatments such as hemostasis, coagulation, and cauterization of the affected area, the thermal effect of Laserb 0 on the living body is utilized, but this thermal effect depends on the type of laser beam,
It varies depending on the power density of the laser beam, the irradiation time, and the part of the living body. Conventionally, when treating an affected area using a laser, the thermal effect was too great for the affected area, causing negative effects on areas other than the affected area, or the thermal effect was too small, resulting in insufficient treatment. Therefore, during laser treatment, it is desirable to have power control that is suitable for the affected area.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and to provide a laser that can be controlled to measure the temperature of a living body at the location where it is irradiated with laser light, and to give the desired appropriate thermal effect to the affected area. The goal is to provide endoscopes.

Structure of the Invention The present invention includes a laser generator, a laser beam transmission fiber for transmitting the laser beam from the laser generator,
and a surface temperature measuring device for measuring the surface temperature of the portion irradiated with the laser beam exiting the laser beam transmission fiber, and the irradiation power of the laser generator is controlled by the output of the surface temperature measuring device. It is a thing,
This makes it possible to improve the power of the laser irradiated to the affected area.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

The figure is a schematic diagram of the laser endoscope of the present invention.

The laser endoscope includes an endoscope barrel 2, an illumination light bundle fiber 3, an illumination light source 4. bundle fiber 5 for visual observation;
It consists of a surface temperature measuring fiber 6, an infrared condensing section 7, an infrared detector 8, a laser beam transmission fiber 9, a condensing section 1o, a laser generator 11, and a control section 12.

When performing laser treatment, the surface of the living body is visually observed through the bundle fiber 6, and the affected area 1ai/i is irradiated with laser light from the laser generator 11 through the fiber 9. At this time, the optimum power varies greatly depending on whether the irradiation site is used for hemostasis, coagulation, or evaporation, the type of laser beam used, and the amount of blood vessels gathered at the irradiation site.

Therefore, the temperature of the laser irradiation tube/place is measured by an infrared detector 8 through an infrared fiber 6 and an infrared condensing section 7, and a laser generator 11 is controlled by a control section 12.

For each of the above treatment methods, ie, hemostasis, coagulation, and evaporation, there are optimal heating temperature conditions depending on the laser used. In other words, since the depth of penetration into the living body differs depending on the wavelength of the laser, when using a laser with high absorption,
For example, when using a C02 laser, all of the laser light is absorbed near the surface of the living body and converted into heat, so a large thermal effect can be obtained with small power. Conversely, when using a laser with low absorption, the laser light penetrates into the inside of the living body, so even with high power, the temperature will rise slowly from the surface to a certain depth.

In this way, since the thermal effect on living organisms differs depending on the type and power of laser light,
By controlling the power density, irradiation time, and heating temperature as parameters, laser irradiation can be performed in accordance with the treatment method for the affected area.

To explain in more detail, if we know in advance the absorption coefficient of each region and the heat conduction coefficient considering blood flow for a specific laser beam, we can estimate the temperature distribution on the surface and inside of the living body when the laser beam is irradiated. can. In other words, once the laser beam and the area are determined, by measuring the surface temperature of the body while irradiating the laser beam and controlling the laser output, it is possible to control the internal temperature and depth at which the appropriate amount of thermal effect is exerted on the body. More optimal treatment becomes possible.

Furthermore, by measuring the body surface temperature and controlling the laser output as described above, it is possible to prevent accidents such as perforation of the body tissue due to excessive irradiation, which were common in the past.

By the way, the temperature of a living body observed under an endoscope is 04.35°C.
Since the temperature is around that temperature, the radiant energy wavelength spectrum distribution at that temperature has a peak wavelength of 10 μm and extends into the infrared. For this reason, it is impossible to use an ordinary quartz optical fiber to efficiently guide the radiation energy to an infrared detector. The source fiber that can transmit wavelengths of at least 6 μm and L2 is fluoride optical fiber.

There are chalcogenide optical fibers and alkali halide optical fibers that can be used to measure the surface temperature of a living body, but alkali halide optical fibers, especially thallium halide and 7 cesium halide optical fibers, are most suitable because they transmit the 10 μm band best.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the laser endoscope of the present invention measures the surface temperature of the living body and controls the laser output power in accordance with the treatment method of the affected area. This makes it possible to further optimize endoscopic treatment, prevent dangerous accidents caused by erroneous irradiation, and expand the scope of use of conventional endoscopes.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The figure is a principle diagram showing the configuration of a laser endoscope according to an embodiment of the present invention. 6... Fiber for surface temperature measurement, 8...
Infrared detector, 9... fiber for laser phototransmission armor, 11... laser generator, 12... control section.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A laser generator, a laser beam transmission fiber that transmits the laser beam from the laser generator,
A surface temperature measuring device is provided to measure the surface temperature of the portion irradiated with the laser light that has exited the laser source transmission fiber, and the irradiation power of the laser generator is controlled by the output of the surface temperature a++ constant device. Laser endoscope. (2) Claim 1 in which the surface temperature measuring device is constituted by an infrared fiber that receives and guides infrared rays emitted from a portion irradiated with laser light, and an infrared detector that detects infrared rays emitted from this infrared fiber. Laser endoscope as described in section.