EP-4333781-B1 - SURGICAL LASER SYSTEM WITH ILLUMINATION

EP4333781B1EP 4333781 B1EP4333781 B1EP 4333781B1EP-4333781-B1

Inventors

BOR, ZSOLT
APOSTOL, ADELA
CASTRO, DANIEL
KHAZAEINEZHAD, REZA
OVCHINNIKOV, MIKHAIL
MALEK TABRIZI, Alireza
WATANABE, KEITH
STEWART, COREY

Dates

Publication Date: 20260506
Application Date: 20220505

Claims (10)

A laser system (10) comprising: a surgical laser (14) configured to emit electromagnetic radiation; at least one fiber-optic cable (24) having a proximal end (32) and a distal end (34), the at least one fiber-optic cable (24) configured to receive the electromagnetic radiation from the surgical laser (14) at the proximal end of the at least one fiber-optic cable and to transmit the electromagnetic radiation from the surgical laser from the proximal end of the at least one fiber-optic cable to the distal end of the at least one fiber-optic cable and out of the distal end of at least one the fiber-optic cable; and an illumination source (70) configured to emit illuminating visible light; wherein the at least one fiber-optic cable is configured to receive the illuminating visible light from the illumination source at the proximal end of the at least one fiber-optic cable and to transmit the illuminating visible light from the illumination source from the proximal end of the at least one fiber-optic cable to the distal end of the at least one fiber-optic cable and out of the distal end of the at least one fiber-optic cable; and wherein the surgical laser (14) is configured to emit the electromagnetic radiation from the surgical laser in pulses, wherein the illumination source (70) is configured to emit the illuminating visible light in pulses, and wherein the laser system (10) is configured to synchronize the pulses from the surgical laser and the pulses from the illumination source to create a stroboscopic effect to slow down an appearance of a response to help an operator visualize a surgical process.
The laser system as recited in claim 1, wherein the fiber-optic cable (24) comprises at least one optical fiber configured to receive the electromagnetic radiation from the surgical laser (14) and the illuminating visible light from the illumination source (70).
The laser system as recited in claim 1, wherein the fiber-optic cable (24) comprises at least a first optical fiber configured to receive the electromagnetic radiation from the surgical laser and at least a second optical fiber configured to receive the illuminating visible light from the illumination source.
The laser system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a beam combining component (74) configured to combine the electromagnetic radiation from the surgical laser and the illuminating visible light from the illumination source along a common optical path.
The laser system as recited in claim 4, wherein the beam combining component (74) is adapted to permit the electromagnetic radiation from the surgical laser to pass through the beam combining component to the at least one fiber-optic cable, and wherein the beam combining component is adapted to direct the illuminating visible light from the illumination source to the at least one fiber-optic cable.
The laser system as recited in claim 4, wherein the beam combining component (74) is adapted to direct the electromagnetic radiation from the surgical laser to the at least one fiber-optic cable, and wherein the beam combining component is adapted to permit the illuminating visible light from the illumination source to pass through the beam combining component to the at least one fiber-optic cable.
The laser system as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one fiber-optic cable (24) comprises a delivery fiber-optic cable (24) and an output fiber-optic cable (26) each having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the output fiber-optic cable is positioned distal to the delivery fiber-optic cable, and wherein the proximal end of the output fiber-optic cable is configured to receive the electromagnetic radiation from the surgical laser and the illuminating visible light from the illumination source from the distal end of the delivery fiber-optic cable.
The laser system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a laser housing (12), wherein the surgical laser is located inside the laser housing, and wherein the at least one fiber-optic cable is adapted to be removably connected to the laser housing.
The laser system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a monitoring sensor positioned to detect returned laser electromagnetic radiation.
The laser system of claim 1, configured such that the stroboscopic effect shows stages of bubble formation by illuminating a sample in time from a series of laser pulses with each sample shifted in time relative to the laser pulse so the operator can visualize the bubble formation slowed down in real time.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure is directed laser systems, such as laser systems used in ophthalmic procedures. BACKGROUND Lasers are used in many different medical procedures including a number of different ophthalmic procedures. For example, lasers may be used in cataract surgery, such as for fragmenting the cataractous lens. In some procedures, a laser is used for initial fragmentation of the lens, followed by phacoemulsification of the lens by an ultrasonic handpiece to complete the breakdown of the lens for removal. In other procedures, the laser may be used for complete fragmentation or phacoemulsification of the lens for removal, without the need for a separate application of ultrasonic energy. Lasers may also be used for other steps in cataract surgery, such as for making the corneal incision(s) and/or opening the capsule. Lasers may also be used in vitreoretinal surgery. In some procedures, a laser may be used for vitrectomy, to sever or break the vitreous fibers for removal. The laser may be incorporated into a vitrectomy probe, and the energy from the laser may be applied to the vitreous fibers to sever or break the vitreous fibers for removal. In other vitreoretinal applications, lasers may be used for photocoagulation of retinal tissue. Laser photocoagulation may be used to treat issues such as retinal tears and/or the effects of diabetic retinopathy. Other surgical laser uses include brain surgery, neurosurgery, otolaryngology, vascular surgery, dental surgery, cosmetic surgery, and many others. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2018/0360657 discloses examples of an ophthalmic laser system. That application describes laser uses such as for forming surgical cuts or for photodisrupting ophthalmic tissue as well as for cataract surgery, such as laser-assisted cataract surgery (LACS). U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0201238 discloses other examples of an ophthalmic laser system. That application describes laser uses such as in a vitrectomy probe for severing or breaking vitreous fibers. Reference is made to the documents US2020107960, US2009067189, US2019175300, US5921981, and WO0044294 which have been cited as exemplary of the state of the art, all of which being devoid of synchronization of the respective pulses from the surgical laser and the illumination source. There is a need for improved laser systems and associated methods. SUMMARY It will be appreciated that the scope of the invention is in accordance with the appended claims. The present disclosure is directed to improved laser systems and methods for operating laser systems with illumination. In some embodiments, a laser system comprises a surgical laser configured to emit electromagnetic radiation, an illumination source configured to emit illuminating visible light, and at least one fiber-optic cable for transmitting the surgical laser electromagnetic radiation and the illuminating visible light. The at least one fiber-optic cable is configured to receive the electromagnetic radiation from the surgical laser and the illuminating visible light from the illumination source at the proximal end of the at least one fiber-optic cable and to transmit the electromagnetic radiation from the surgical laser and the illuminating visible light from the illumination source to the distal end of the at least one fiber-optic cable and out of the distal end of at least one the fiber-optic cable to a target surface. The illumination source is configured to emit the illuminating visible light in pulses. The surgical laser is configured to emit the electromagnetic radiation from the surgical laser in pulses, and the laser system is configured to synchronize pulses from the surgical laser and pulses from the illumination source to create a stroboscopic effect. The fiber-optic cable has at least one optical fiber configured to receive the electromagnetic radiation from the surgical laser and the illuminating visible light from the illumination source. Additionally or alternatively, the fiber-optic cable may have at least a first optical fiber configured to receive the electromagnetic radiation from the surgical laser and at least a second optical fiber configured to receive the illuminating visible light from the illumination source. The at least one fiber-optic cable may comprise a delivery fiber-optic cable and an output fiber-optic cable each having a proximal end and a distal end. The output fiber-optic cable may be positioned distal to the delivery fiber-optic cable, and the proximal end of the output fiber-optic cable may be configured to receive the electromagnetic radiation from the surgical laser and the illuminating visible light from the illumination source from the distal end of the delivery fiber-optic cable. The laser system may comprise a laser housing. The surgical laser may be located inside the laser housing. The illumination source may also be located inside the laser housing. At least one fiber-optic cable may b