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US 5,071,222 AGranted
Lightpipe tip for contact laser surgery
AssigneeLuxar Corporation
InventorsKatherine D. Laakmann, Michael B. Levy
Life of this patent
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AssigneeLuxar Corporation
InventorsKatherine D. Laakmann, Michael B. Levy
Estimating the term…
A contact laser surgery tip for connection to a lightpipe conducting laser light. A hollow proximal end portion of the tip connects to the lightpipe. A hollow distal end portion is heated when it absorbs at least a portion of the laser light transmitted thereto by the proximal end portion. The proximal end portion of the tip is fabricated with an inner surface material having an index of refraction with a real part that is less than about 0.3. The surface material is coated with a reflectivity-enhancing thin film. The proximal end portion of the tip can include a sleeve on which is deposited the highly reflective inner surface material with the thin film coating. The tip is shaped and given material characteristics so that the distal end and proximal end portions can be selectively heated. The tip can include apertures for allowing the passage of a selected portion of laser light outwardly from the tip.
A tip for contact surgery, comprising a housing with a hollow light waveguide proximal end portion which efficiently transmits laser light applied thereto from the end of a light conduit, and a hollow light waveguide distal end portion of a selected size and shape which absorbs at least some of the laser light transmitted thereto and heats up upon the application of the laser light to an operating temperature at or above the temperature at which body tissue vaporizes.
The tip of claim wherein the proximal end portion has an inner sleeve positioned coaxially therein.
A tip for contact surgery, comprising an all-metal housing with a hollow light waveguide proximal end portion which efficiently transmits laser light applied thereto from the end of a light conduit, and a hollow light waveguide distal end portion of a selected size and shape which absorbs at least some of the laser light transmitted thereto and heats up upon the application of the laser light to an operating temperature at or above the temperature at which body tissue vaporizes.
A method of manufacturing a hollow tip for contact surgery to receive laser light from the end of a light conduit, comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.