Needle light pipe
AssigneeGroton Consulting LLC
InventorChristopher Petroff
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is a needle light pipe comprising a tubular needle body defining a lumen and a distal tissue-penetrating tip, and at least one optical path integrated with an outer diameter region of the tubular needle body and extending toward the distal tissue-penetrating tip. The at least one optical path is configured to direct light through a distal region of the tubular needle body for tissue interrogation, while the lumen remains unobstructed for fluid delivery or aspiration. Also disclosed are embodiments in which the optical path is formed by deposition, a graded-index profile, a step-index profile, or a channel receiving an optical member including a glass rod and glue having a different refractive index. In further instances, two optical paths include a transmission path and a reception path.
Claims20
A needle light pipe comprising:
- a tubular needle body defining a lumen and a distal tissue-penetrating tip;
- and,
- at least one optical path integrated with an outer diameter region of the tubular needle body and extending toward the distal tissue-penetrating tip;
- wherein the at least one optical path is configured to direct light through a distal region of the tubular needle body for tissue interrogation;
- wherein the lumen is unobstructed by the at least one optical path and is configured for fluid delivery or aspiration.
A method comprising:
- advancing a tubular needle body defining a lumen and a distal tissue-penetrating tip toward tissue, the tubular needle body having at least one optical path integrated with an outer diameter region of the tubular needle body and extending toward the distal tissue-penetrating tip;
- directing light through a distal region of the tubular needle body via the at least one optical path to interrogate the tissue;
- and
- delivering fluid through the lumen or aspirating fluid through the lumen while the lumen remains unobstructed by the at least one optical path.
A method of constructing a needle light pipe, comprising:
- providing a tubular needle body defining a lumen;
- forming at least one channel in an outer diameter region of the tubular needle body, the at least one channel extending toward a distal region of the tubular needle body;
- positioning an optical member in the at least one channel;
- disposing a glue in the at least one channel around the optical member, the glue having a refractive index different from a refractive index of the optical member, such that the optical member and the glue define at least one optical path integrated with the outer diameter region of the tubular needle body;
- hardening the glue;
- forming a distal tissue-penetrating tip on the tubular needle body;
- and
- polishing a distal face of the tubular needle body to improve light transmission through the at least one optical path,
- wherein the lumen remains unobstructed by the at least one optical path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.