Fiber laser for coagulation, cutting, and other operations

A laser device comprising:

• a signal generator configured to separately generate two or more of (i) a pulsed-wave signal, (ii) a quasi-pulsed-wave signal, (iii) a continuous-wave signal, and (iv) a quasi-continuous-wave signal for transmission as a laser control signal;
• a laser source configured to receive the laser control signal and emit a laser beam responsive to receiving the laser control signal and in accordance with the laser control signal, wherein the laser beam comprises either (i) a pulsed-wave laser beam, (ii) a quasi-pulsed-wave laser beam, (iii) a continuous-wave laser beam, or (iv) a quasi-continuous-wave laser beam;
• an RFID reader configured to read from and write to an RFID tag embedded within an optical waveguide, wherein the RFID tag comprises a unique identifier associated with the optical waveguide, and the optical waveguide is configured to emit the laser beam from a second end of the optical waveguide after receiving the laser beam at a first end of the optical waveguide;
• and
• control circuitry configured to:
• receive a user request to operate in a requested mode comprising either (i) a pulsed-wave mode, (ii) a quasi-pulsed-wave mode, (iii) a continuous-wave mode, or (iv) a quasi-continuous-wave mode;
• responsive to receiving the user request, cause the signal generator to generate the laser control signal in accordance with the requested mode;
• cause the RFID reader to read the unique identifier from the RFID tag;
• identify the optical waveguide based on the unique identifier;
• and
• write a use identifier to the RFID tag, wherein the use identifier indicates that the optical waveguide has been used in a surgical procedure.

A laser system comprising:

• a signal generator configured to separately generate two or more of (i) a pulsed-wave signal, (ii) a quasi-pulsed-wave signal, (iii) a continuous-wave signal, and (iv) a quasi-continuous-wave signal for transmission as a laser control signal;
• a laser source configured to receive the laser control signal and emit a laser beam responsive to receiving the laser control signal and in accordance with the laser control signal, wherein the laser beam comprises either (i) a pulsed-wave laser beam, (ii) a quasi-pulsed-wave laser beam, (iii) a continuous-wave laser beam, or (iv) a quasi-continuous-wave laser beam;
• an optical waveguide configured to emit the laser beam from a second end of the optical waveguide after receiving the laser beam at a first end of the optical waveguide;
• an RFID reader configured to read from and write to an RFID tag embedded within the optical waveguide, wherein the RFID tag comprises a unique identifier associated with the optical waveguide;
• and
• control circuitry configured to:
• receive a user request to operate in a requested mode comprising either (i) a pulsed-wave mode, (ii) a quasi-pulsed-wave mode, (iii) a continuous-wave mode, or (iv) a quasi-continuous-wave mode;
• responsive to receiving the user request, cause the signal generator to generate the laser control signal in accordance with the requested mode;
• cause the RFID reader to read the unique identifier from the RFID tag;
• identify the optical waveguide based on the unique identifier;
• and
• write a use identifier to the RFID tag, wherein the use identifier indicates that the optical waveguide has been used in a surgical procedure.