US 12,690,918 B2 · Spectral detection of optical fiber flashing event

Abstract

A laser tissue ablation system can include an optical fiber, with a distal end being extendible from an endoscope body of an endoscope. The optical fiber can deliver therapeutic laser light from the distal end of the optical fiber toward a target site, and receive return light into the distal end of the optical fiber. The laser tissue ablation system can include a sensor that can spectrally measure the return light. The laser tissue ablation system can include processor circuitry that can form a first determination, from the spectral measurement of the return light, whether flashing event light is present in the return light. The flashing event light can be generated when a flashing event occurs at the distal end of the optical fiber. The processor circuitry can generate, in response to the first determination, a flashing event data signal that indicates whether the flashing event has occurred.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A laser tissue ablation system, comprising:

an optical fiber including a distal end extendible from an endoscope body of an endoscope, the optical fiber configured to:
deliver therapeutic laser light from the distal end of the optical fiber toward a target site;
and
receive return light into the distal end of the optical fiber;
a sensor configured to spectrally measure the return light;
processor circuitry configured to:
form a first determination, from the spectral measurement of the return light, whether flashing event light is present in the return light, the flashing event light being generated when a flashing event occurs at the distal end of the optical fiber;
and
generate, in response to the first determination, a flashing event data signal that indicates whether the flashing event has occurred;
and
an actuator controllable by the processor circuitry, the actuator configured to automatically retract the optical fiber proximally with respect to the endoscope body by a specified distance in response to the first determination, the specified distance being sufficient to terminate the flashing event.

8 more elements

A method for operating a laser tissue ablation system, the method comprising:

illuminating, with an illumination light source disposed on a distal end of an endoscope body, a target site with visible light illumination having a visible light illumination spectrum to create an illuminated target site;
capturing, with a video camera disposed on the distal end of the endoscope body, a video image of the illuminated target site;
delivering therapeutic laser light from a distal end of an optical fiber extending distally from the distal end of the endoscope body toward the target site, the therapeutic laser light having at least one therapeutic laser light wavelength;
receiving return light into the distal end of the optical fiber;
performing a spectral measurement of the return light to determine a measured light level in a detection spectral region that does not overlap with the visible light illumination spectrum and does not include the at least one therapeutic laser light wavelength;
comparing, with processor circuitry, the measured light level to a threshold light level;
determining, with the processor circuitry, that the measured light level exceeds the threshold light level;
and
generating, with the processor circuitry, in response to the determination that the measured light level exceeds the threshold light level, a flashing event data signal that indicates that a flashing event has occurred at the distal end of the optical fiber.

6 more elements

A laser tissue ablation system, comprising:

an endoscope having an endoscope body;
an illumination light source disposed on a distal end of the endoscope body and configured to illuminate a target site with visible light illumination having a visible light illumination spectral range to create an illuminated target site;
a video camera disposed on the distal end of the endoscope body and configured to capture a video image of the illuminated target site;
a video display configured to display the video image of the illuminated target site;
an optical fiber extending from the endoscope body and configured to:
deliver therapeutic laser light from a distal end of the optical fiber toward the target site, the therapeutic laser light having at least one therapeutic laser light wavelength;
and
receive return light into the distal end of the optical fiber;
a spectrometer configured to spectrally measure the return light;
processor circuitry configured to:
determine, from the spectral measurement of the return light, when a light level of the return light at at least one flashing event wavelength has increased over a threshold light level, the at least one flashing event wavelength being different from the at least one therapeutic laser light wavelength and being outside the visible light illumination spectral range;
and
generate, in response to a determination that the light level has increased over the threshold light level, a flashing event data signal that indicates that a flashing event has occurred at the distal end of the optical fiber;
and
an actuator controllable by the processor circuitry, the actuator configured to automatically retract the optical fiber proximally with respect to the endoscope body by a specified distance in response to the determination that the light level has increased over the threshold light level, the specified distance being sufficient to terminate the flashing event.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Spectral detection of optical fiber flashing event

Life of this patent

Spectral detection of optical fiber flashing event

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18