KR100830971B1 - Device for laser delivery - Google Patents

Abstract

A laser delivery device is provided to prevent water between the laser delivery device and lesion or calculus from being overheated by circulating cooling water in the laser delivery device and injecting the cooling water in a terminal discharging laser. A laser delivery device(100) includes a laser guidance pipe, a laser connector(150), a contact part(140), a cooling water connector(161), a cooling water supply tube(160), and a connection part(170). The laser guidance pipe includes an optical fiber(110), a cooling water pipe(120), and a coating tube(130). The laser connector is connected to a laser generator. The contact part includes a laser radiating port and a cooling water discharging port. The cooling water connector is connected to a cooling water pump for supplying the cooling water to the cooling water pipe. The cooling water supply tube extends from the cooling water connector. The laser guidance pipe and the cooling water supply tube are connected to each other in the connection part.

Description

Laser delivery device {Device for Laser Delivery}

1 is a cross-sectional view of a laser delivery device according to the present invention,

2 is a configuration diagram of an optical fiber of a laser delivery device according to the present invention;

3a and 3b are cross-sectional views of contacts of a laser delivery device according to the invention, and

4 is a cross-sectional view of a laser connector of a laser delivery device according to the invention.

Description of the main parts of the drawing

100: stone removal device 110: optical fiber

111: core portion 112: cladding portion

113: buffer portion 114: coating portion

120: cooling water pipe 130: coating tube

140, 140 ': contact portion 141: laser irradiation port

142: cooling water discharge port 143: inclined cutting surface

144: crystal tube 145: laser junction

150: laser connector 151: crystal tube

160: cooling water supply tube 161: cooling water connector

170: junction

The present invention relates to a laser delivery device for removing lesions and urethral stones, and more particularly to a laser delivery device using a laser for removing lesions and stones and a cooling water for removing heat by the laser.

Since the energy of infrared rays is well absorbed by water, which is a major component of body tissues, infrared lasers effectively evaporate body tissues and lesions and stones in the body. When exposed to this infrared laser energy, the lesion or stone is removed or evaporated. These infrared laser features are effectively used to remove or reduce lesions or stones without surgery.

Generally, such lasers are transmitted through optical fibers of laser delivery devices that are inserted into the body. The laser emitting end of the optical fiber is moved near the location of the lesion or stone to be removed. Then, the lesion or the stone is irradiated with the laser to be removed to destroy the lesion or the stone. However, the laser delivery apparatus according to the prior art has the following problems.

(1) It is difficult to remove lesions or stones located on the side of the laser delivery device by the straightness of the laser beam.

(2) The laser also heats and evaporates the water between the laser emitting end of the laser delivery device and the lesion or stone. The heated water evaporates to vapor and produces a "bubble". These bubbles reduce the amount of energy of the laser irradiated to the lesion or stone to be removed. In addition, heated water can damage body tissues. And the laser can heat the laser delivery device itself. Laser delivery devices inserted into the body and heated may also damage body tissues.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to overcome the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a laser delivery device capable of delivering a laser from a distal end inserted into a body to the side. In addition, by distributing the cooling water to the laser delivery device according to the present invention and by spraying the cooling water at the end for emitting the laser, the object of the laser delivery device, and to prevent excessive heating of water between the laser delivery device and the lesion or stones is It is done. In addition, an object of the present invention is to be able to suck the pieces broken by the laser by sucking water at the end of the laser delivery device.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an optical fiber for delivering a laser, a cooling water pipe for circulating cooling water, and a laser induction pipe including an outer covering tube for protecting the optical fiber and the cooling water pipe, and one end of the laser induction pipe. A laser connector formed at the end of the laser injector and connected to a laser generator for oscillating the laser, formed at the other end of the laser guide tube, and a coolant for sucking and spraying a laser irradiator for irradiating the laser to the lesion or the stone and cooling water to destroy the lesion or the stone. And a contact portion including a discharge port, a coolant connector connected to a coolant pump for supplying coolant to the coolant pipe, a coolant supply tube extending from the coolant connector, and a joint to which the laser guide tube and the coolant supply tube are connected. Is inserted into the endoscope between the junction and the contact. It provides a laser delivery device having a cross-sectional shape and size that can be.

Cooling water pipe is preferably wrapped around the outside of the optical fiber.

The optical fiber includes a core part for delivering a laser, a cladding part surrounding the core part so that total reflection of the laser occurs, a buffer part and a core part surrounding the cladding part to protect the core part and the cladding part from damage, and an external source. It comprises a coating for protection, and in the laser connector and the contact, it is preferable that the optical fiber has the cladding portion, the buffer portion and the coating portion removed and the core portion exposed. At this time, the core exposed at the laser connector and the contact is wrapped by a crystal tube for protecting the exposed core. It is preferable that an optical fiber is a silica optical fiber. The end of the exposed core of the laser connector and the crystal tube can be fused by the laser.

The ends of the optical fiber at the contact portion are cut obliquely in the path of the laser so that the laser is totally reflected, the laser irradiation port may be located on the side of the contact portion.

Cooling water discharge port may be formed in a plurality of ends and sides of the contact portion. It is preferable that the cross-sectional area of the cooling water discharge port and the inner diameter of the cooling water pipe have a size sufficient to allow debris destroyed by the laser to pass through.

The cladding tube is preferably made of stainless steel to prevent corrosion from water.

The laser connector and the contacts may be connected by an adhesive such as an epoxy adhesive.

The coolant pump can alternately perform suction and injection of the coolant.

The laser generator can generate pulses of an infrared laser, preferably a Ho: YAG laser, having a wavelength of 2100 nm.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings to describe the configuration of the embodiment of the present invention in more detail.

1 is a cross-sectional view of a laser delivery device 100 according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, a laser delivery device 100 according to the present invention includes an optical fiber 110, a cooling water pipe 120 surrounding the optical fiber, and a laser induction pipe including an outer covering tube 130 and one end of the laser induction pipe. A contact portion 140 formed on the laser beam and suctioning and spraying the coolant, a laser connector 150 formed at the other end of the laser induction tube and connected to a laser generator (not shown), and connected to a coolant pump (not shown) The cooling water connector 161, the cooling water supply tube 160 extending from the cooling water connector 161, and the junction 170 to which the laser guide tube and the cooling water supply tube 160 are connected.

The contact unit 140 is inserted to a position where the laser can be irradiated to the lesion or stone to be removed. The laser guide tube from the contact portion 140 to the junction portion 170 to which the coolant supply tube 160 is connected has a cross-sectional shape and size that can be inserted into the endoscope.

The laser generated from the laser generator enters through the laser connector 150 and is transmitted to the contact portion 140 through the optical fiber 110. At the end of contact 140, the laser is irradiated with a lesion or stone to break.

2 shows the configuration of the optical fiber 110. Referring to FIG. 2, the optical fiber 110 includes a core part 111 for transmitting a laser and a cladding part 112 surrounding the core part 111 so that total reflection occurs at an interface and the laser proceeds through the core part 111. In order to protect the core 111 and the cladding unit 112 from external physical forces, etc., the buffer unit 113 surrounding the cladding unit 112, and the coating unit for protecting the optical fiber 110 from external contaminants ( 114). The optical fiber 110, the core 111 is preferably composed of silica (Silica) and Germania (Germania) and the cladding portion 112 is preferably a silica optical fiber composed of pure silica.

The laser generator generates a Holium: YAG laser having a wavelength of 2,100 nm, which is effective for vaporization, solidification, and incision. A pulse laser of about 350 microseconds is used to effectively transfer energy to the lesion or stone.

It is preferable that the cooling water pump is capable of sucking and spraying cooling water and repeating suction and spraying. The coolant supplied from the coolant pump is transferred to the coolant pipe 120 through the coolant connector 161, the coolant supply tube 160, and the junction 170. Cooling water pipe 120 is open at the end of the contact portion 140 so that the coolant may be sucked and sprayed to the outside of the contact portion 140.

The outer covering tube 130 serves to protect the laser delivery device 100 inserted into the endoscope from external water, skin tissue, and stones. The cladding tube 130 is preferably made of stainless steel that is strong in the external environment and has little damage to the body.

Hereinafter, the configuration of the contact unit 140 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 3A.

The coating tube 130 of the contact unit 140 sprays the laser irradiating port 141 for irradiating the laser transmitted through the optical fiber 110 to the outside, and the coolant delivered through the coolant pipe 120 to the outside and contacts the contact unit 140. The cooling water discharge port 142 for sucking the pieces destroyed by the laser together with the externally heated water is formed.

The laser irradiation port 141 is preferably formed on the side of the contact portion 140. The laser irradiation port 141 also serves as the cooling water discharge port 142.

Cooling water discharge port 142 is formed in a plurality of side and end of the contact portion 140. The cooling water discharge port 142 and the cooling water pipe 120 preferably have a size to suck the pieces destroyed by the laser.

The cladding part 112, the buffer part 113, and the coating part 114 of the optical fiber 110 are removed to irradiate the laser to the outside from the contact part 140, and the core part 111 is exposed. An end of the core portion 111 forms an inclined cut surface 143 that is inclinedly cut. The laser traveling through the core part 111 is totally reflected by the inclined cutting surface 143 formed at the end of the core part 111 and the lesion or stone to be removed through the laser irradiation hole 141 formed on the side of the contact part 140. Proceed to (see dashed line in FIG. 3A).

The exposed core part 111 is wrapped by a crystal tube 144 that protects the core part 111 and allows the laser to pass therethrough. The crystal tube 144 is adhered by an adhesive such as an epoxy adhesive and a surface on which the cladding portion 112, the buffer portion 113, and the coating portion 114 are removed. In addition, in order to fix the position of the end of the core portion 111 and the crystal tube 144, the laser bonding portion which is fused by a laser to the interface between the core portion 111 and the crystal tube 144 at the end of the core portion 111 ( 145 is formed.

The contact portion 140 is adhered to the main body of the laser delivery device 100 by an adhesive such as an epoxy adhesive.

On the other hand, the cover tube 130 made of stainless steel or the like may be omitted so that the end portion inserted from the body in the laser delivery device 100 is flexible. 3B shows the contact 140 ′ of the laser delivery device 100 with the cladding tube omitted. In this case, the optical fiber 110 and the crystal tube 144 are exposed to the outside. After the laser is transmitted through the optical fiber 110, the total reflection at the inclined cutting surface 143 formed at the end of the optical fiber 110 to proceed to the lesion or the stone located on the side of the laser delivery device 100 is the same.

Hereinafter, the configuration of the laser connector 150 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 4.

The laser connector 150 has a structure that can be connected to the external connector of the laser generator. The specific structure of the laser connector 150 is determined according to the structure of the external connector of the laser generator to be connected. The laser from the laser generator enters from the end of the laser connector 150.

In the laser connector 150, the ends of the optical fiber 110 are removed from the cladding part 112, the buffer part 113, and the coating part 114, and the core part 111 is exposed.

The crystal tube 151 serving as a sleeve surrounds the optical fiber 110. In order to prevent the coolant from leaking from the laser connector 150, the coolant pipe 120 is blocked by the crystal pipe 151.

The laser connector 150 is adhered to the main body of the laser delivery device 100 by an adhesive such as an epoxy adhesive.

The coolant of the coolant pipe 120 is supplied from the coolant pump by the coolant connector 161, the coolant supply tube 160, and the junction 170. The coolant connector 161 has a structure that can be connected to the external connector of the coolant pump. The specific structure of the coolant connector 161 is determined according to the structure of the external connector of the coolant pump to be connected.

Hereinafter, the operation of the laser delivery device 100 having such a configuration will be described.

The contact unit 140 is inserted to irradiate the laser through the laser irradiation port 141 to the lesion or stone to be removed.

After the contact 140 is inserted so that the laser can proceed to the lesion or the stone, the laser generator oscillates the pulsed laser, and the laser from the laser generator passes through the laser connector 150 and the optical fiber 110 to the inclined cutting surface 143. After being reflected from the laser delivery device 100 through the laser irradiation port 141 formed on the end side proceeds to the lesion or stone. At the same time, in order to cool the water between the laser delivery device 100 and the contact portion 140 and the lesion or stone, the coolant pump sprays the water, and the coolant is the coolant connector 161, the coolant supply tube 160, and the junction portion. It is supplied to the cooling water pipe 120 through the 170 and is injected to the outside through the cooling water discharge port 142.

After the irradiation of the laser is completed, the cooling water pump sucks water, and if there is a fragment destroyed by the laser, the destroyed fragment is sucked into the laser delivery device 100 through the cooling water discharge port 142 together with the water. The pieces sucked into the laser delivery device 100 can be removed afterwards.

The laser delivery device according to the present invention can remove lesions or stones formed on the side of the laser delivery device. In addition, the laser delivery device according to the present invention can prevent excessive heating of water between the laser delivery device and the laser delivery device and the lesion or stones. Then, the broken pieces can be sucked by sucking water at the end of the laser delivery device.

The invention can be used in place of surgical procedures, such as removing stones from the urethra, bladder, etc., removing lesions from the vertebral discs, removing lesions from the stomach or intestine, and the like.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with the above-mentioned preferred embodiments, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such changes and modifications are It is obvious that it belongs to the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (15)

A laser induction tube including an optical fiber for delivering a laser, a cooling water pipe for circulating coolant, and an outer covering tube for protecting the optical fiber and the cooling water pipe; A laser connector formed at one end of the laser guide tube and connected to a laser generator for oscillating the laser; A contact portion formed at the other end of the laser guide tube, the contact portion including a laser irradiation port for irradiating the laser to the lesion or stone to destroy the lesion or stone, and a cooling water discharge port for sucking and spraying the cooling water; A coolant connector connected to a coolant pump for supplying the coolant to the coolant pipe; A coolant supply tube extending from the coolant connector; And And a junction part to which the laser guide tube and the cooling water supply tube are connected. The laser guide tube has a cross-sectional shape and size that can be inserted into the endoscope between the junction and the contact portion. The method of claim 1, The cooling water pipe is a laser delivery device, characterized in that for wrapping the outside of the optical fiber. The method of claim 1, The optical fiber may include a core part for delivering the laser, a cladding part surrounding the core part so that total reflection of the laser occurs, a buffer part surrounding the cladding part and the core part, cladding to protect the core part and the cladding part from damage. A coating portion for protecting the portion and the buffer portion from external contaminants, And the optical fiber has the cladding portion, the buffer portion, and the coating portion removed from the laser connector and the contact portion, and the core portion is exposed. The method of claim 3, wherein And the exposed core portion of the laser connector and the contact portion is wrapped by a crystal tube for protecting the exposed core portion. The method of claim 4, wherein And the interface between the end of the exposed core portion of the contact portion and the crystal tube is welded by a laser. The method of claim 1, The ends of the optical fiber in the contact portion is inclined cut so that the laser is totally reflected, And the laser irradiator is formed on the side of the contact portion. The method of claim 1, And a plurality of coolant discharge ports are formed at ends and side surfaces of the contact portion. The method of claim 1, And a cross-sectional area of the cooling water discharge port and an inner diameter of the cooling water pipe have a size sufficient to allow debris destroyed by the laser to pass therethrough. The method of claim 1, And the cladding tube is made of stainless steel. The method of claim 1, And the optical fiber is a silica optical fiber. The method of claim 1, And the laser connector and the contact portion are connected by an adhesive. The method of claim 11, And said adhesive is an epoxy adhesive. delete delete delete

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