US 4,589,404 A · Laser endoscope

Abstract

A laser endoscope includes a micro-thin optic cable assembly which may be inserted into a body cavity by micro-surgical or non-surgical procedures. A coherent jacketed fiber optical bundle is provided in the center of the assembly having a diameter of no more than 3.5 mm. with an optical lens system at the distal end for reflecting an image of a portion of the interior of the cavity. A pair of single optical fibers are spirally wound around the cable, each of which has a total diameter including a jacket of approximately 140 microns. One of these fibers carries a laser light beam to the cavity and the other is for redundancy. The proximate end of the optical cable assembly connects to a remote unit wherein a laser diode light source is provided to direct a beam of light into the end of one of the single optical fibers. A TV camera is also provided in the remote unit together with suitable optics for transmitting the image from the optical cable to a viewing screen on the remote unit.

Claims12

Dependent claims

Apparatus for viewing and/or treatment within body cavities by non-surgical or micro-surgical procedures, said apparatus comprising;

a coherent fiber optical cable whose diameter is micro-thin having a planar distal end for insertion into a body cavity and a planar proximate end;
a single optical fiber, having a distal end adjacent said distal end of said optical cable and a proximate end adjacent said proximate end of said optical cable;
a laser light source alignable with said proximate end of said single fiber to transmit light to said distal end to illuminate the body cavity;
optical lens means at the distal end of said optical cable to focus an image of a portion of the cavity on said distal end of said optical cable for transmission through said optical cable;
optical focus means connectable to said proximate end of said optical cable to focus an image of the portion of the body cavity reflected through said optical cable;
and
viewing means connected to said focus means for displaying an image of the portion of the body cavity.

4 more elements

A laser endoscope for viewing and/or treatment within body cavities by non-surgical or micro-surgical procedures, said endoscope comprising:

a remote viewing unit which includes:
a TV camera;
a viewing monitor for displaying an image of the image viewed by said TV camera;
an optical cable interface including optical focus means for focusing an image from an optical cable on said TV camera;
a laser diode for providing a beam of light to an optical fiber;
and
a laser fiber interface for aligning a light beam from said laser diode with the optical fiber;
an endoscopic cable assembly including:
a coherent multi-fiber optical cable of micro-thin diameter having a planar distal end for insertion into a body cavity and a planar proximate end;
optical lens means at the distal end of said optical cable to focus an image of a portion of the cavity on said distal end of said optical cable for transmission of the image therethrough;
a single optical fiber having a distal end adjacent said distal-end of said optical cable and a proximate end adjacent said proximate end of said optical cable;
and
an interface connector for removable connection to said remote viewing unit for aligning said optical cable with said optical cable interface and for aligning said single optical fiber with said laser fiber interface.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Laser endoscope

Life of this patent

Laser endoscope

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12