Laser assembly having adjustable focusing lenses

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9987090-B2
Application number	US-201113327625-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 15, 2011
Priority date	Dec 16, 2010
Publication date	Jun 5, 2018
Grant date	Jun 5, 2018

Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosure may include an apparatus including an optical fiber having a distal end and configured to emit a beam of energy. The apparatus may also include a first lens coupled to the distal end of the optical fiber and a sheath including a channel and a second lens positioned on a distal region of the sheath. The optical fiber may be disposed within the channel of the sheath to permit relative movement between the first lens and the second lens and thereby adjust a beam of energy that exits the sheath.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
an optical fiber including a distal end and configured to emit a beam of energy;
a first lens coupled to the distal end of the optical fiber; and
a sheath including a channel and a second lens positioned on a distal region of the sheath,
wherein the optical fiber is disposed within the channel of the sheath to permit relative movement between the first lens and the second lens and thereby adjust a beam of energy that exits the sheath,
a first fluid delivery channel having an opening positioned in fluid communication with the channel of the sheath and between the first lens and second lens;
a second fluid delivery channel having an opening positioned proximal of the first lens; and
wherein the first lens and the second lens are arranged so that the beam of energy passes through the first lens and the second lens before exiting the distal region of the sheath.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the optical fiber is longitudinally slidably disposed within the channel.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an intensity of the beam of energy that exits the distal region of the sheath increases when a distance between the first lens and the second lens increases, and the intensity of the beam of energy decreases when the distance between the first lens and the second lens decreases.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a spot size of the beam of energy that exits the distal region of the sheath increases when a distance between the first lens and the second lens decreases, and the spot size decreases when the distance between the first lens and the second lens increases.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first lens is fixedly attached to the distal end of the optical fiber, and the second lens is fixedly attached within the channel of the sheath so as to permit longitudinal relative movement between the first lens and the second lens.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a stop coupled to the optical fiber and positioned external the channel of the sheath, wherein the stop is configured to limit distal advancement of the optical fiber.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein fluid delivery to the first fluid delivery channel proximally retracts the optical fiber, and fluid delivery to the second fluid delivery channel distally advances the optical fiber.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a medical device.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the optical fiber and the sheath are flexible to traverse a tortuous anatomy in a body.

10. A method of transmitting a beam of energy from an apparatus, the apparatus including an optical fiber disposed within a sheath, the method comprising:
transmitting a beam of energy through the optical fiber and through a first lens coupled to a distal end of the optical fiber;
emitting the beam of energy out of the sheath through a second lens positioned on a distal region of the sheath to fragment or vaporize body tissue; and
delivering fluid via at least one of a first fluid delivery channel or a second fluid delivery channel into the channel of the sheath so as to adjust the beam of energy that exits the sheath by moving the first lens relative to the second lens,
wherein fluid delivery to the first fluid delivery channel proximally retracts the optical fiber, and fluid delivery to the second fluid delivery channel distally advances the optical fiber;
wherein the beam of energy passes through the first lens and the second lens before exiting the distal region of the sheath.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising increasing an intensity of the beam of energy that exits the sheath by increasing a longitudinal distance between the first lens and the second lens, and decreasing the intensity of the beam by decreasing the longitudinal distance between the first lens and the second lens.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein a spot size of the beam of energy that exits the sheath increases when a distance between the first lens and the second lens decreases, and the spot size decreases when the distance between the first and second lenses increases.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein moving the first lens and the second lens relative to each other includes longitudinally translating the optical fiber relative to the sheath.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising directing the beam of energy from the apparatus towards tissue of a patient.

15. An apparatus, comprising:
an optical fiber including a distal end and configured to emit a beam of energy;
a first lens coupled to the distal end of the optical fiber;
a sheath including a channel and a second lens fixedly coupled to a distal region of the sheath, and
a first fluid delivery channel and a second fluid delivery channel, wherein the first fluid delivery channel includes an opening in fluid communication with the channel of the sheath and positioned between the first lens and the second lens, and wherein the second fluid delivery channel includes an opening in fluid communication with the channel of the sheath and positioned proximal of the first lens;
wherein the optical fiber and the first lens are disposed within the channel of the sheath to permit relative longitudinal movement between the first lens and the second lens and thereby adjust a beam of energy that exits the sheath, and
wherein the first lens and the second lens are arranged so that the beam of energy passes through the first lens and the second lens before exiting the distal region of the sheath.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second lens is distal to the first lens, and the first lens is slidable relative to the sheath.

Assignees

• Li Jamie
• Boston Scient Scimed Inc

Inventors

• Li Jamie

Classifications

• A61B2218/001

  having means for irrigation and/or aspiration of substances to and/or from the surgical site (A61B2018/00029 and A61B2018/1472 take precedence) · CPC title

• A61B18/24 Primary

  with a catheter (A61B18/26, A61B18/28 take precedence) · CPC title

• A61B18/245

  for removing obstructions in blood vessels or calculi · CPC title

• A61B2018/2266

  with a lens, e.g. ball tipped · CPC title