CA2068014A1 - Laser video endoscope - Google Patents
Laser video endoscopeInfo
- Publication number
- CA2068014A1 CA2068014A1 CA002068014A CA2068014A CA2068014A1 CA 2068014 A1 CA2068014 A1 CA 2068014A1 CA 002068014 A CA002068014 A CA 002068014A CA 2068014 A CA2068014 A CA 2068014A CA 2068014 A1 CA2068014 A1 CA 2068014A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- guide
- laser
- image
- probe
- image guide
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
- A61F9/00—Methods or devices for treatment of the eyes; Devices for putting-in contact lenses; Devices to correct squinting; Apparatus to guide the blind; Protective devices for the eyes, carried on the body or in the hand
- A61F9/007—Methods or devices for eye surgery
- A61F9/008—Methods or devices for eye surgery using laser
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B1/00—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor
- A61B1/00163—Optical arrangements
- A61B1/00165—Optical arrangements with light-conductive means, e.g. fibre optics
Abstract
Abstract Of The Disclosure A surgical endoscope particularly adapted for use in ophthalmological surgery includes a probe connected distally of a hand piece. Within the probe, there are three sets of optical fibers. The first set of optical fibers are five-hundred thirty micron fibers which constitute an illumination zone for illuminating the tissue to be operated on. An image guide has 3,000 three micron fibers, providing a 3,000 pixel image of the tissue. The distal end of the image guide has an objective lens bonded to it which preferably has a one mm to infinity depth of field. A laser fiber with an active diameter of two hundred microns provides pulses of laser energy to the tissue illuminated by the illumination fibers and imaged by the image fibers.
Description
LASER VIDEC) ENDOSCOPE
Reference T Related App~
This invention relate~ in general to a small diameter endoscope used for medical purposes and more particularly to one in which illumination, viewing and laser operating unctions are performed within a singls relatively small diameter endoscope.
The endoscope of this invention i5 designed particularly for use in certain ophthalmological operations and thus the disclosure herein will relate to such an embodi~nt~
It is known to apply laser energy, and othPr types of energy, both directly and indirectly to variou~ parts of the eye in order to ef~ect surgery. For example, it i~ ~nown to laser the peripheral retina for treatment o~ retina detachment. It is also know~, in appropria~e circumstances, to directly laser the ciliary processes as one of th~ treat~ents ~or glaucoma.
~ecause of the difficulty o~ applying laser energy directly to the ciliary processe~, the standard technique for disa~ling ciliary proceRses has been a cryogenic technique. This cryogenic technigue involves applylng a free~ing probe on the external surface.o~ the eye overlying the ciliary process on ~6~3r31~
the inside of the eye. The ciliary processes are then frozen and thawed. This destroys the ciliary processes and thus reduces the aqueous output that builds up pressure. This process is fairly brutal in its immediate effect on the eye.
Vision can be frequently lost. I~ is extremely difficult to titrate. There is a risk o~ shrinkage and atrophy of the eye due to overtreatment.
It is clearly preferable to apply a destructive element, such as a laser, directly to the ciliary processes. This has been done only where it is accompanied by a vitrectomy and lensQctomy operation. That is only desirable or feasible in a very small num~er of cases.
It is a specific purpose of this invention to provide an intraocular endoscope that will be useful in photocoagulating any internal ar~a of the eye including, most importantly, the pars plana region, the cil~ary processes and th~ posterior aspect of the iris.
A further and related purpose o~ this invention is to allow more complete photocoagulation of the peripheral retina in the treatment of complicated retina detachment or proli~erative retinopathies such as in diabetes mellitus.
It is a further and a related purpose of this invention to provide the above functions in a product which is relati~ely easy ~or a surgeon to use so that the operations involved can be 2~
precisely determined and can be more complet~ than is presently feasible.
Another related purpose of the invention is to providQ
an endoscope product that performs the above functions at a cost which makes it feasible for appropriate ocular surgery to b~
undertaken on a relatively widespread basis by a rela~ively large number o~ ophthalmoloqists.
: - 3 -~` ' 2 Blief ~escription In brie~, this invention involves a fiber optic endoscope having a probe supported by a handpiece. The hand piece is connected through a relatively long flexible lead to a laser energy source, ~ source of illumination and an optical eye piece. The flexible lead, hand piece and probe all contain a laser optical ~iber, an optical fiber image ~uide and an optical fiber illumination zone. The image guide ibsrs and the laser fiber are surrounded by the set o~ illumination fibers.
The laser fiber is a monoPilament fiber that provides the required pulses o~ laser energy to effect operation. In one embodiment, it ha~ a diameter of approximately O.2 m~. The image guide is a set of high resolution fused quartz image ~ibers that provide a 3,000 pixel image, each pixel having a three micron diameter. The image guide has a diamet~r of 0.25 mm. An objectiva lens having a depth of ~ield ~rom down to about one mm is bonded to the distal end of the image guide~
This image guide and laser fiber ar~ embedded within a set o~ fibers whi~h carry illumination toward the distal end of the probe.
Light transmitted down the illumination ~ibers emerges at the ~istal end o~ the probe to provide illu~ination at the area of operation. The image of at least part of the area illuminated is transmitted back through the set o~ fibers that constitute th~ image guide to b. viewed by the suxgeo~ at an .
eyepiece or by video or still photography. With ~he image in view and the pr~be in position, the surgeon can then control the transmission of las~r energy, typically pulses o~ laser energy, through the monofilament laser fiber to the zone of the operation.
Bnef Description Of The Fig~res FIG. 1 is a mechanical schematic longitudinal view of an embodiment to this invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view at the tip of the probe illustrating the rela~ive deployment of the monofilament laser fiber 22, the 3,000 pixel image guide 24 and the multi-~iber illumination zone 26.
Y~
DescriptionQf ~ Pre_rred Embodimen~
As shown in the FIGs., one embodiment of the endoscope of this invention has a hand piece 10 and a probe 12, which are connected through a ~irst flexible cable 14 to a connector 16 An eyepiece 18 is optically coupled to the connectGr 16 for viewing purposes. A second flexible cable 20 extends out of the ~ide o the connector 16.
Within the probe 12, the hand piece 10 and the firs~
flexible cable 14 there is deployed three separate sets of optical fibers that perform three separate functions. These are shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2. This cross-sectional view is one taken at the tip of the probe 12. Within the probe 12 there is a monofilament laser fiber 22, an image guide 24 and an illumination zone 26~ The laser fiber 22 is a monofilament optical ~iber that delivers the laser energy at the tip of the probe 12 for performing operations. The image guide 24 is a set of high resolution fused quartz image fibers that provide a 3,000 pixel image, each pixel having a 3 micron diameter. The illumination zone 26 is composed sf a large number of fibers which carry illumination toward the distal end of the probe 12. All o~ these optical fiber elements are guart.
~ibers.
In operation, light i~ transmitted down the illumination zone 22 to emerge at the distal end o~ the probe 12 to provide ~;
2 ~
illumination at ~he area of operation. The image of at least part of the area illuminated is transmitted back through the image guide 24 to be viewed by the surgeon at the eyepiece 18.
With the i~age in view and the proba 12 in position, the surgeon can then control the transmission of laser ener~y (usually pulses of laser energy) through the laser fiber 22 to the zone of the operation.
Because of the small diameter of the probe 12 (under one mm) this endoscope can be used for operations in areas (particularly for eye operation~) where a combined viewing and operating endoscope was not hithertv possible.
At the juncture 16, the imaging set of op~ical fibers 16 is separated from the other two sets of optical fi~ers so that only the laser fiber 22 and illu~ination fibers 26 extend down through the tube 20. As indicated at the juncture 28, these two sets of ~ibers 22 and 26 are further separated to be appropriately connected to a source of laser energy for the optical fiber set 22 and to a source of light for the se~ of ~iber that constitute the illumination zone 26.
: It should be noted that the image provided by the image guide 24 can be applied to an eye piece 18 or can be displayed by a video or can be applied to cr~ate a still photograph.
Indeed, it is anticipated that a video display might be pre~erable to ~acilitate the surgeon's positioning in order tQ
manipulate the probe 12 properly.
; ~ 7 ~
In one embodiment that ha~ been tested, the probe 12 has an outer diameter of 950 microns with a steel side wall 12w o~ f 75 microns and thus an inner diameter of 800 microns.
In that embodiment, the laser fiber 22 is a monofilament fiber with an active diameter of 200 microns. The cladding and protective buffer layer to prevent mechanical abrasion of the cladding brings the diameter to 250 microns.
In that embodiment, the illumination zone 26 has 500 optical fibers, each fiber having a diameter o~ 30 microns including cladding. The optical fibers in the illumination zone 26 are strung randomly down.the length of the instrument and are potted into place only at the tip of the operating probe 12.
In that embodiment, the image guide 24 has 3,000 quartz ~ibers, each only 3 microns in diameter including cladding. The fibers are fused to provide a single convenient to handle guide with 3,000 pixels. The guide wall is a thin black protective PVC sleeve 45 microns thic~. This image guide 24 has a 250 micron diameter which with the PVC sleeve becomes 340 microns.
In that embodiment, the probe 12 is 30 mm long, the hand piece 10 in 40 mm long and the cable 14 is 410 mm long~
In one preferred embodiment, which has been tested, an objective lens is bonded to the distal end of ~he image guide 24 fibers and provides a depth of field ~rom one mm to infinity with a field o~ view of 70 degrees, A depth of field that can go down to as little as one mm is important to aid the surgeon to position the end of the laser guide 22 as olose as one mm from the tissue on which the laser energy is to be delivered.
It is important to have the distal end of the laser guide and the distal end o~ th~ image guide at the same plane. The reason relates to a combination of the fact that Sa) with a single probe there is no stereopsis, (b) the need to deliver the laser energy as close as possible to the tissue b~ing worked on, and (c) the importance of avoiding tissue puncture or contact.
The lens is a triple lens o~ a known type. It is bonded to the image guide 24 prior to assembling the image guide 24 in the illumination zone so that the distal surface of the lens (~
mm which is one em~odiment) is flush with the distal end of the probe.
Very minute working diskances have to be traversed by means of the operator's hand moYements. These minute working distances axe in part required by the fact that the laser energy should be delivered only to a speci~i¢ small zone of tissue which is to be operated on. This requires that the distal end of the laser guide be brought as close as possible to the tissue. A distance of one mm is desirable. But it is essential that the surgeon be able to view the tissue being operated on at the one mm distance in order to avoid having the probe contact, damage or puncture the tissue.
In known types of operations where an operating microscope is employed, an image is provided with ~ degree of O g _ .~ .
~ ~ ~ 8 ~ ~ ~
stereopsis which aids the surgeon in moving toward the tissu~.
But with a probe that incorporates both imaging and laser delivery, stereopsis is not available and it is essential that the laser guide not extend past the image guide in order to make sure that tissue damage is avoided.
Having a wide field of view, such a~ 70 degrees, is useful to enable the surgeon to locate the various tissue zone areas which have to be operated on and to which energy has to be delivered.
As is known in the art, the particular laser guide optical material is selected as a function of the frequency of the laser l~ght pulses which are to be transmitted by the guid~.
In the embodiment tested, the laser used is a diode laser composed of gallium-aluminum-arsenide semi-conducting crystals to provide a wave length of about 810 nano meters (in the range of 7~0 nm to 850 nm) The joints 28 and 16 where the different components 22, 24 and 26 of the interior o~ the probe 12 are brought together are fabricated as junctions by standard techniques known in the art including the use of heat shrink tubing at the connector 28.
The embodiment ha~ the straight probe 12 shown~
~ppli~ant b~lieve~ there ~lay be advantage in a slight curvature to the probe 12 so that the tip of the probe is displaced two to three mm ~rom the axis. This might provide adYantage in use of more readily clearing the lens of ~he eye.
2 E!!Çi8~
It should be noted that the combination of the illumination zone, the image guide and laser ~uide within a single probe provides a particularly compact probe ~or performing these three functions, which because it is compact and circular in cross section requires a minimal incision o~ the cornea while meeting the objectives of this invention including an ability to access areas such as the ciliary processes which otherwise require the use of multiple instruments.
Reference T Related App~
This invention relate~ in general to a small diameter endoscope used for medical purposes and more particularly to one in which illumination, viewing and laser operating unctions are performed within a singls relatively small diameter endoscope.
The endoscope of this invention i5 designed particularly for use in certain ophthalmological operations and thus the disclosure herein will relate to such an embodi~nt~
It is known to apply laser energy, and othPr types of energy, both directly and indirectly to variou~ parts of the eye in order to ef~ect surgery. For example, it i~ ~nown to laser the peripheral retina for treatment o~ retina detachment. It is also know~, in appropria~e circumstances, to directly laser the ciliary processes as one of th~ treat~ents ~or glaucoma.
~ecause of the difficulty o~ applying laser energy directly to the ciliary processe~, the standard technique for disa~ling ciliary proceRses has been a cryogenic technique. This cryogenic technigue involves applylng a free~ing probe on the external surface.o~ the eye overlying the ciliary process on ~6~3r31~
the inside of the eye. The ciliary processes are then frozen and thawed. This destroys the ciliary processes and thus reduces the aqueous output that builds up pressure. This process is fairly brutal in its immediate effect on the eye.
Vision can be frequently lost. I~ is extremely difficult to titrate. There is a risk o~ shrinkage and atrophy of the eye due to overtreatment.
It is clearly preferable to apply a destructive element, such as a laser, directly to the ciliary processes. This has been done only where it is accompanied by a vitrectomy and lensQctomy operation. That is only desirable or feasible in a very small num~er of cases.
It is a specific purpose of this invention to provide an intraocular endoscope that will be useful in photocoagulating any internal ar~a of the eye including, most importantly, the pars plana region, the cil~ary processes and th~ posterior aspect of the iris.
A further and related purpose o~ this invention is to allow more complete photocoagulation of the peripheral retina in the treatment of complicated retina detachment or proli~erative retinopathies such as in diabetes mellitus.
It is a further and a related purpose of this invention to provide the above functions in a product which is relati~ely easy ~or a surgeon to use so that the operations involved can be 2~
precisely determined and can be more complet~ than is presently feasible.
Another related purpose of the invention is to providQ
an endoscope product that performs the above functions at a cost which makes it feasible for appropriate ocular surgery to b~
undertaken on a relatively widespread basis by a rela~ively large number o~ ophthalmoloqists.
: - 3 -~` ' 2 Blief ~escription In brie~, this invention involves a fiber optic endoscope having a probe supported by a handpiece. The hand piece is connected through a relatively long flexible lead to a laser energy source, ~ source of illumination and an optical eye piece. The flexible lead, hand piece and probe all contain a laser optical ~iber, an optical fiber image ~uide and an optical fiber illumination zone. The image guide ibsrs and the laser fiber are surrounded by the set o~ illumination fibers.
The laser fiber is a monoPilament fiber that provides the required pulses o~ laser energy to effect operation. In one embodiment, it ha~ a diameter of approximately O.2 m~. The image guide is a set of high resolution fused quartz image ~ibers that provide a 3,000 pixel image, each pixel having a three micron diameter. The image guide has a diamet~r of 0.25 mm. An objectiva lens having a depth of ~ield ~rom down to about one mm is bonded to the distal end of the image guide~
This image guide and laser fiber ar~ embedded within a set o~ fibers whi~h carry illumination toward the distal end of the probe.
Light transmitted down the illumination ~ibers emerges at the ~istal end o~ the probe to provide illu~ination at the area of operation. The image of at least part of the area illuminated is transmitted back through the set o~ fibers that constitute th~ image guide to b. viewed by the suxgeo~ at an .
eyepiece or by video or still photography. With ~he image in view and the pr~be in position, the surgeon can then control the transmission of las~r energy, typically pulses o~ laser energy, through the monofilament laser fiber to the zone of the operation.
Bnef Description Of The Fig~res FIG. 1 is a mechanical schematic longitudinal view of an embodiment to this invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view at the tip of the probe illustrating the rela~ive deployment of the monofilament laser fiber 22, the 3,000 pixel image guide 24 and the multi-~iber illumination zone 26.
Y~
DescriptionQf ~ Pre_rred Embodimen~
As shown in the FIGs., one embodiment of the endoscope of this invention has a hand piece 10 and a probe 12, which are connected through a ~irst flexible cable 14 to a connector 16 An eyepiece 18 is optically coupled to the connectGr 16 for viewing purposes. A second flexible cable 20 extends out of the ~ide o the connector 16.
Within the probe 12, the hand piece 10 and the firs~
flexible cable 14 there is deployed three separate sets of optical fibers that perform three separate functions. These are shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2. This cross-sectional view is one taken at the tip of the probe 12. Within the probe 12 there is a monofilament laser fiber 22, an image guide 24 and an illumination zone 26~ The laser fiber 22 is a monofilament optical ~iber that delivers the laser energy at the tip of the probe 12 for performing operations. The image guide 24 is a set of high resolution fused quartz image fibers that provide a 3,000 pixel image, each pixel having a 3 micron diameter. The illumination zone 26 is composed sf a large number of fibers which carry illumination toward the distal end of the probe 12. All o~ these optical fiber elements are guart.
~ibers.
In operation, light i~ transmitted down the illumination zone 22 to emerge at the distal end o~ the probe 12 to provide ~;
2 ~
illumination at ~he area of operation. The image of at least part of the area illuminated is transmitted back through the image guide 24 to be viewed by the surgeon at the eyepiece 18.
With the i~age in view and the proba 12 in position, the surgeon can then control the transmission of laser ener~y (usually pulses of laser energy) through the laser fiber 22 to the zone of the operation.
Because of the small diameter of the probe 12 (under one mm) this endoscope can be used for operations in areas (particularly for eye operation~) where a combined viewing and operating endoscope was not hithertv possible.
At the juncture 16, the imaging set of op~ical fibers 16 is separated from the other two sets of optical fi~ers so that only the laser fiber 22 and illu~ination fibers 26 extend down through the tube 20. As indicated at the juncture 28, these two sets of ~ibers 22 and 26 are further separated to be appropriately connected to a source of laser energy for the optical fiber set 22 and to a source of light for the se~ of ~iber that constitute the illumination zone 26.
: It should be noted that the image provided by the image guide 24 can be applied to an eye piece 18 or can be displayed by a video or can be applied to cr~ate a still photograph.
Indeed, it is anticipated that a video display might be pre~erable to ~acilitate the surgeon's positioning in order tQ
manipulate the probe 12 properly.
; ~ 7 ~
In one embodiment that ha~ been tested, the probe 12 has an outer diameter of 950 microns with a steel side wall 12w o~ f 75 microns and thus an inner diameter of 800 microns.
In that embodiment, the laser fiber 22 is a monofilament fiber with an active diameter of 200 microns. The cladding and protective buffer layer to prevent mechanical abrasion of the cladding brings the diameter to 250 microns.
In that embodiment, the illumination zone 26 has 500 optical fibers, each fiber having a diameter o~ 30 microns including cladding. The optical fibers in the illumination zone 26 are strung randomly down.the length of the instrument and are potted into place only at the tip of the operating probe 12.
In that embodiment, the image guide 24 has 3,000 quartz ~ibers, each only 3 microns in diameter including cladding. The fibers are fused to provide a single convenient to handle guide with 3,000 pixels. The guide wall is a thin black protective PVC sleeve 45 microns thic~. This image guide 24 has a 250 micron diameter which with the PVC sleeve becomes 340 microns.
In that embodiment, the probe 12 is 30 mm long, the hand piece 10 in 40 mm long and the cable 14 is 410 mm long~
In one preferred embodiment, which has been tested, an objective lens is bonded to the distal end of ~he image guide 24 fibers and provides a depth of field ~rom one mm to infinity with a field o~ view of 70 degrees, A depth of field that can go down to as little as one mm is important to aid the surgeon to position the end of the laser guide 22 as olose as one mm from the tissue on which the laser energy is to be delivered.
It is important to have the distal end of the laser guide and the distal end o~ th~ image guide at the same plane. The reason relates to a combination of the fact that Sa) with a single probe there is no stereopsis, (b) the need to deliver the laser energy as close as possible to the tissue b~ing worked on, and (c) the importance of avoiding tissue puncture or contact.
The lens is a triple lens o~ a known type. It is bonded to the image guide 24 prior to assembling the image guide 24 in the illumination zone so that the distal surface of the lens (~
mm which is one em~odiment) is flush with the distal end of the probe.
Very minute working diskances have to be traversed by means of the operator's hand moYements. These minute working distances axe in part required by the fact that the laser energy should be delivered only to a speci~i¢ small zone of tissue which is to be operated on. This requires that the distal end of the laser guide be brought as close as possible to the tissue. A distance of one mm is desirable. But it is essential that the surgeon be able to view the tissue being operated on at the one mm distance in order to avoid having the probe contact, damage or puncture the tissue.
In known types of operations where an operating microscope is employed, an image is provided with ~ degree of O g _ .~ .
~ ~ ~ 8 ~ ~ ~
stereopsis which aids the surgeon in moving toward the tissu~.
But with a probe that incorporates both imaging and laser delivery, stereopsis is not available and it is essential that the laser guide not extend past the image guide in order to make sure that tissue damage is avoided.
Having a wide field of view, such a~ 70 degrees, is useful to enable the surgeon to locate the various tissue zone areas which have to be operated on and to which energy has to be delivered.
As is known in the art, the particular laser guide optical material is selected as a function of the frequency of the laser l~ght pulses which are to be transmitted by the guid~.
In the embodiment tested, the laser used is a diode laser composed of gallium-aluminum-arsenide semi-conducting crystals to provide a wave length of about 810 nano meters (in the range of 7~0 nm to 850 nm) The joints 28 and 16 where the different components 22, 24 and 26 of the interior o~ the probe 12 are brought together are fabricated as junctions by standard techniques known in the art including the use of heat shrink tubing at the connector 28.
The embodiment ha~ the straight probe 12 shown~
~ppli~ant b~lieve~ there ~lay be advantage in a slight curvature to the probe 12 so that the tip of the probe is displaced two to three mm ~rom the axis. This might provide adYantage in use of more readily clearing the lens of ~he eye.
2 E!!Çi8~
It should be noted that the combination of the illumination zone, the image guide and laser ~uide within a single probe provides a particularly compact probe ~or performing these three functions, which because it is compact and circular in cross section requires a minimal incision o~ the cornea while meeting the objectives of this invention including an ability to access areas such as the ciliary processes which otherwise require the use of multiple instruments.
Claims (6)
1. In a surgical endoscope having a hand piece and a connecting cable attached to the proximal end of the hand piece, the improvement in a small diameter probe comprising:
a rigid tubular sidewall having a circular cross-section, an illumination guide comprising a first set of optical fibers extending longitudinally within said sidewall, an image guide comprising a second set of optical fibers extending longitudinally within said sidewall, an optical laser guide comprising a third set of optical fibers extending longitudinally within said sidewall, said illumination guide, said image guide and said laser guide constituting substantially the only functional components within said tubular sidewall of said probe, said first, second and third sets of optical fibers constituting a combined set of optical fibers having a circular outer diameter, said circular outer diameter being substantially equal to the inner diameter of said tubular sidewall, said image guide and said optical laser guide terminating in substantially the same plane at the distal end of said rigid probe, (claim 1 continued) whereby light applied through said illumination zone will generate an image at the distal end of said rigid probe which can be viewed through said image guide simultaneous with application of laser energy through said laser guide.
a rigid tubular sidewall having a circular cross-section, an illumination guide comprising a first set of optical fibers extending longitudinally within said sidewall, an image guide comprising a second set of optical fibers extending longitudinally within said sidewall, an optical laser guide comprising a third set of optical fibers extending longitudinally within said sidewall, said illumination guide, said image guide and said laser guide constituting substantially the only functional components within said tubular sidewall of said probe, said first, second and third sets of optical fibers constituting a combined set of optical fibers having a circular outer diameter, said circular outer diameter being substantially equal to the inner diameter of said tubular sidewall, said image guide and said optical laser guide terminating in substantially the same plane at the distal end of said rigid probe, (claim 1 continued) whereby light applied through said illumination zone will generate an image at the distal end of said rigid probe which can be viewed through said image guide simultaneous with application of laser energy through said laser guide.
2. The endoscope improvement of claim 1 wherein:
said optical laser guide is a monofilament laser fiber.
said optical laser guide is a monofilament laser fiber.
3. The endoscope improvement of claim 2 wherein:
said combined set of optical fibers have an outer diameter no greater than approximately 800 microns, said image guide is circular in cross-section and has an outer diameter of approximately 250 microns, said laser guide including cladding has an outer diameter of approximately 250 microns.
said combined set of optical fibers have an outer diameter no greater than approximately 800 microns, said image guide is circular in cross-section and has an outer diameter of approximately 250 microns, said laser guide including cladding has an outer diameter of approximately 250 microns.
4. The endoscope improvement of claim 1 further comprising:
an objective lens bonded to the distal end of said image guide to provide a depth of field ranging between infinity and approximately one millimeter.
an objective lens bonded to the distal end of said image guide to provide a depth of field ranging between infinity and approximately one millimeter.
5. The endoscope of claim 2 further comprising:
an objective lens bonded to the distal end of said image guide to provide a depth of field ranging between infinity and approximately one millimeter.
an objective lens bonded to the distal end of said image guide to provide a depth of field ranging between infinity and approximately one millimeter.
6. The endoscope of claim 3 further comprising:
an objective lens bonded to the distal end of said image guide to provide a depth of field ranging between infinity and approximately one millimeter.
an objective lens bonded to the distal end of said image guide to provide a depth of field ranging between infinity and approximately one millimeter.
Applications Claiming Priority (4)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US69611791A | 1991-05-06 | 1991-05-06 | |
| US696,117 | 1991-05-06 | ||
| US07/737,054 US5121740A (en) | 1991-05-06 | 1991-07-29 | Laser video endoscope |
| US737,054 | 1991-07-29 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2068014A1 true CA2068014A1 (en) | 1992-11-07 |
Family
ID=27105724
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002068014A Abandoned CA2068014A1 (en) | 1991-05-06 | 1992-05-05 | Laser video endoscope |
Country Status (10)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (1) | US5323766A (en) |
| EP (1) | EP0512592B1 (en) |
| JP (1) | JPH05115501A (en) |
| AT (1) | ATE155024T1 (en) |
| AU (1) | AU643889B2 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2068014A1 (en) |
| DE (1) | DE69220720T2 (en) |
| ES (1) | ES2106127T3 (en) |
| IL (1) | IL101788A (en) |
| MX (1) | MX9202100A (en) |
Families Citing this family (43)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5478338A (en) * | 1993-09-24 | 1995-12-26 | Reynard; Michael | Fiber optic sleeve for surgical instruments |
| US5807242A (en) * | 1997-03-24 | 1998-09-15 | Synergetics, Inc. | Microsurgical laser probe with homogeneous laser light field |
| US8317689B1 (en) | 1999-09-13 | 2012-11-27 | Visionscope Technologies Llc | Miniature endoscope system |
| US6863651B2 (en) | 2001-10-19 | 2005-03-08 | Visionscope, Llc | Miniature endoscope with imaging fiber system |
| US8038602B2 (en) * | 2001-10-19 | 2011-10-18 | Visionscope Llc | Portable imaging system employing a miniature endoscope |
| US20070167681A1 (en) | 2001-10-19 | 2007-07-19 | Gill Thomas J | Portable imaging system employing a miniature endoscope |
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-
1992
- 1992-04-08 DE DE69220720T patent/DE69220720T2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1992-04-08 ES ES92201012T patent/ES2106127T3/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1992-04-08 EP EP92201012A patent/EP0512592B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1992-04-08 AT AT92201012T patent/ATE155024T1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1992-04-27 JP JP4107605A patent/JPH05115501A/en active Pending
- 1992-05-05 IL IL10178892A patent/IL101788A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1992-05-05 CA CA002068014A patent/CA2068014A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 1992-05-05 AU AU16019/92A patent/AU643889B2/en not_active Ceased
- 1992-05-06 MX MX9202100A patent/MX9202100A/en unknown
- 1992-06-05 US US07/893,700 patent/US5323766A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Also Published As
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|---|---|
| DE69220720D1 (en) | 1997-08-14 |
| AU643889B2 (en) | 1993-11-25 |
| DE69220720T2 (en) | 1998-01-22 |
| US5323766A (en) | 1994-06-28 |
| AU1601992A (en) | 1992-11-12 |
| MX9202100A (en) | 1992-11-01 |
| ES2106127T3 (en) | 1997-11-01 |
| EP0512592A1 (en) | 1992-11-11 |
| IL101788A0 (en) | 1992-12-30 |
| IL101788A (en) | 1996-10-16 |
| JPH05115501A (en) | 1993-05-14 |
| ATE155024T1 (en) | 1997-07-15 |
| EP0512592B1 (en) | 1997-07-09 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Discontinued |