Laser video endoscope

Abstract

Laser video endoscope has laser guide, illumination guide and image guide which extend through optical probe and through hand piece that supports the probe. Hand piece is connected by optical fiber cable to laser energy source and illumination source. Image is transmitted from hand piece to image processing interface by camera assembly optically coupled and mounted directly to hand piece and via electrical cable extending from camera assembly. Camera and its electrical cable can be uncoupled from hand piece and reused. The rest of the product, including probe and hand piece, can be disposed of after each medical routine. Probe can have proximal portion and distal portion such that proximal portion extends from distal end of hand piece, and outside diameter of proximal portion as measured at least near the distal end of hand piece is greater than the outside diameter of the distal portion.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13 / 084,789 filed on Apr. 12, 2011, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13 / 314,371 filed on Dec. 8, 2011, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12 / 779,214 filed on May 13, 2010, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference.[0002]Other prior applications are U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,740 issued on Jun. 16, 1992 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,997,868 issued on Feb. 14, 2006, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]This invention relates in general to a medical laser video endoscope and more particularly to one in which the operating probe can be economically disposed of after each use and / or can have a relatively small gage size.[0004]Laser video endoscopes are used in glaucoma, retinal and vitrectomy operations, and some conventional endoscopes can be reused after a...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides endoscope designs that minimize breaking by including a probe that can be inserted through a small insertion point and maintaining sufficient robustness. The camera assembly has an electrical cable to transmit image signals for surgery and can be reused in multiple procedures while the laser video endoscope and its hand piece can be disposed of after each use to ensure antiseptic procedure.

Problems solved by technology

Reuse occurs in large part because of the expense of the endoscope.

The most significant expense factor is the image guide which has a large number of micron size optical fibers.

The expense factor means that as a practical matter the endoscope will be reused after sterilization rather than disposed of.

However, there is greater security from infection if the probe of the endoscope can be disposed of after each usage instead of being subject to the possibilities of human error in the sterilization process.

One problem is that a 23 gauge probe is so small in diameter (25 mils, or 0.635 mm) that it is fragile and tends to break.

This breakage problem becomes a major concern when using a laser video endoscope because of the cost of these endoscopes.

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