Phototherapeutic treatment methods and apparatus

An electroluminescent phototherapy apparatus, comprising:

• a thin film electroluminescent (TFEL) panel having a plurality of electrodes on one surface thereof that are individually addressable to produce light from an addressed segment of the panel when a voltage greater than a prescribed voltage is applied thereto;
• the TFEL panel having an electroluminescent core that is doped using a first dopant in a first segment thereof and doped using a second dopant in a second segment thereof;
• the TFEL panel having a light emitting surface that produces light radiation for delivery to a patient;
• and
• a controller that addresses the multiple electrodes in order to produce light from the first segment at a first wavelength and from the second segment at a second wavelength;
• and wherein the controller further controls a phototherapeutic parameter.

A hand held electroluminescent phototherapy device, comprising:

• a battery;
• a charging circuit coupled to the battery, so that when connected to a source of current acts to charge said battery;
• a thin film electroluminescent (TFEL) panel that produces light when voltage from said battery is applied thereto;
• a processor that controls the application of voltage from the battery to the TFEL panel under control of a control program of phototherapeutic parameters;
• a housing containing said battery, said charging circuit and said processor therein and carrying said TFEL panel on an outer surface thereof.

A method of carrying out phototherapy, comprising:

• diagnosing a condition of an affected area of tissue that can be treated with phototherapy;
• determining a treatment protocol for the condition;
• and
• irradiating the affected area of tissue with light from a thin film electroluminescent (TFEL) panel in accordance with the treatment protocol.

An electroluminescent phototherapy apparatus, comprising:

• a thin film electroluminescent (TFEL) panel that produces light radiation when a voltage greater than a prescribed voltage is applied thereto;
• the TFEL panel having a light emitting surface that produces light radiation for delivery to a patient, wherein the TFEL panel comprises a stacked arrangement of TFEL panels;
• each TFEL panel in the stack comprising a sandwich of electrodes surrounding an active electroluminescent material;
• wherein each of the TEEL panels in the stack has a doped electroluminescent material that doped differently than other TFEL panels in the stack to produce light with differing spectral content at each TFEL panel in the stack;
• and
• control means, for controlling a time that the patient is exposed to the light radiation.

An electroluminescent phototherapy apparatus, comprising:

• a thin film electroluminescent (TFEL) panel that produces light radiation when a voltage greater than a prescribed voltage is applied thereto;
• the TFEL panel having a light emitting surface that produces light radiation for delivery to a patient, wherein the TFEL panel comprises a stacked arrangement of TFEL panels;
• each TFEL panel in the stack comprising a sandwich of electrodes surrounding an active electroluminescent material;
• wherein each of the TFEL panels in the stack has an electroluminescent material that is different than the electroluminescent material of the other TFEL panels in the stack to produce light with differing spectral content at each TFEL panel in the stack;
• and
• control means, for controlling a time that the patient is exposed to the light radiation.

A hand held electroluminescent phototherapy device, comprising:

• a battery;
• a charging circuit coupled to the battery, so that when connected to a source of current acts to charge said battery;
• a thin film electroluminescent (TFEL) panel that produces light when voltage from said battery is applied thereto;
• a processor that controls the application of voltage from the battery to the TFEL panel under control of a control program;
• a housing containing said battery, said charging circuit and said processor therein and carrying said TFEL panel on an outer surface thereof
• a removable cover forming a part of said housing;
• a power connector connected to said charging circuit for connection of said charging circuit to said source of current;
• and
• wherein, removal of said removable cover reveals said power connector.

A method of carrying out phototherapy, comprising:

• diagnosing a condition of an affected area of tissue that can be treated with phototherapy;
• determining a treatment protocol for the condition;
• irradiating the affected area of tissue with light from a thin film electroluminescent (TFEL) panel in accordance with the treatment protocol;
• and
• wherein the electroluminescent light source is placed in physical contact with the affected area of tissue.

An electroluminescent phototherapy apparatus, comprising:

• a thin film electroluminescent (TFEL) panel that produces light radiation with peaks in spectral intensity at or above the near infra-red spectrum when a voltage greater than a prescribed voltage is applied thereto;
• the TFEL panel having a light emitting surface that produces light radiation for delivery to a patient;
• and
• control means, for controlling a time that the patient is exposed to the light radiation.

An electroluminescent phototherapy apparatus, comprising:

• a thin film electroluminescent (TFEL) panel that produces light radiation when a voltage greater than a prescribed voltage is applied thereto;
• the TFEL panel having an unpixelated light emitting surface that produces light radiation for delivery to a patient;
• and
• control means, for controlling a time that the patient is exposed to the light radiation.

A method of carrying out phototherapy, comprising:

• diagnosing a condition of an affected area of tissue that can be treated with phototherapy;
• determining a treatment protocol for the condition;
• and
• irradiating the affected area of tissue with light from a thin film electroluminescent (TFEL) panel in accordance with the treatment protocol, the TFEL panel producing light radiation with peaks in spectral intensity at or above the near infra-red spectrum.

A method of carrying out phototherapy, comprising:

• diagnosing a condition of an affected area of tissue that can be treated with phototherapy;
• determining a treatment protocol for the condition;
• and
• irradiating the affected area of tissue with light from an unpixelated thin film electroluminescent (TFEL) panel in accordance with the treatment protocol.