U.S. patent application number 11/431257 was filed with the patent office on 2006-09-14 for method of using multi-probe laser device.
Invention is credited to Steven C. Shanks, Kevin B. Tucek.
Application Number | 20060206176 11/431257 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36408012 |
Filed Date | 2006-09-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060206176 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Shanks; Steven C. ; et
al. |
September 14, 2006 |
Method of using multi-probe laser device
Abstract
A method of using a hand-held laser device that can
simultaneously provide two or more types of low level laser therapy
treatments to two or more areas of a patient's body simultaneously.
The device enables laser light of different pulse repetition rates,
different beam shapes and spot sizes to be applied to a patient's
body. The device includes two or more laser sources. In the
preferred embodiment, two semiconductor diode laser sources
simultaneously provide two separate laser beams from separate
probes, one laser beam producing laser light at a first pulse
repetition rate and the other producing laser light at a second
pulse repetition rate.
Inventors: |
Shanks; Steven C.; (Mesa,
AZ) ; Tucek; Kevin B.; (Gilbert, AZ) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ETHERTON LAW GROUP, LLC
5555 E. VAN BUREN STREET, SUITE 100
PHOENIX
AZ
85008
US
|
Family ID: |
36408012 |
Appl. No.: |
11/431257 |
Filed: |
May 9, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10612504 |
Jul 1, 2003 |
|
|
|
11431257 |
May 9, 2006 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
607/89 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B 2018/207 20130101;
A61N 2005/0644 20130101; A61N 2005/0652 20130101; A61N 2005/067
20130101; A61N 5/0616 20130101; A61B 2018/2025 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
607/089 |
International
Class: |
A61N 5/06 20060101
A61N005/06 |
Claims
1. A method of treating a patient with low-level laser therapy
comprising: a) providing a multi-probe laser device comprising a
first probe and a second probe wherein each of the probes further
comprises: i. one or more laser energy sources housed within each
probe; ii. one or more laser beams emitted from each laser energy
source; and iii. an optical arrangement for receiving and
transforming each of the laser beams into a desired spot shape; b)
retaining the first probe within a user's hand during treatment,
holding the first probe so that the laser beam emitted therefrom
impinges a first desired location on a patient's body, and freely
moving the first probe relative to the surface of the skin of the
patient's body during treatment; and c) simultaneously with
retaining the first probe, retaining the second probe within the
user's other hand during treatment, holding the second probe so
that the laser beam emitted therefrom impinges a second desired
location on the patient's body, and freely moving the second probe
relative to the surface of the skin of the patient's body during
treatment.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein freely moving the first probe
relative to the surface of the skin of the patient's body during
treatment causes the laser beam emitted to not be continuously
maintained at an acupressure point.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first probe emits a laser beam
at a first wavelength and the second probe emits a laser beam at a
second wavelength.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the optical arrangement consists
of a lens.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the optical arrangement comprises
a collimating lens and a rod lens.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the optical arrangement comprises
a convex lens and a prism.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the multi-probe laser device
further comprises one or more control circuits for controlling the
pulse repetition rate of each laser beam.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the pulse repetition rate of at
least one of the laser beams is such that the laser light emitted
is substantially continuous.
9. The method of claim 7 further comprising a first laser beam
having a first pulse repetition rate and a second laser beam having
a second pulse repetition rate wherein the first pulse repetition
rate and the second pulse repetition rate are different.
10. The method of claim 7 further comprising a first laser beam
having a first pulse repetition rate and a second laser beam having
a second pulse repetition rate wherein the first pulse repetition
rate and the second pulse repetition rate are the same.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the laser energy sources
is less than one watt.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the laser energy
sources is a semiconductor diode.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one laser energy source
generates a laser beam having a wavelength in the visible
range.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein the wavelength of the laser beam
is in the red range of the visible spectrum.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one laser energy source
generates a laser beam having a wavelength in the infrared
range.
16. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one laser energy source
generates a laser beam having a wavelength in the ultraviolet
range.
17. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the desired spot
shapes is substantially linear.
18. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the desired spot
shapes is substantially circular.
19. A method of treating a patient with low-level laser therapy
comprising: a) providing a multi-probe laser device comprising a
first probe and a second probe wherein each of the probes further
comprises: i. one or more laser energy sources housed within each
probe; ii. one or more laser beams emitted from each laser energy
source; and iii. an optical arrangement for receiving and
transforming each of the laser beams into a desired spot shape; b)
retaining the first probe within a user's hand during treatment,
scanning a first area of a patient's body; and c) simultaneously
with retaining the first probe, retaining the second probe within
the user's other hand during treatment, scanning a first area of a
patient's body, wherein the orientation of the first probe changes
continually during treatment relative to the orientation of the
second probe.
20. A method of treating a patient with low-level laser therapy
comprising: scanning a first area of a patient's body with laser
light emitted from a first hand-held laser probe device in a first
scan pattern without touching the patient with the first hand-held
laser probe device while simultaneously scanning a second area of
the patient's body with laser light emitted from a second hand-held
laser probe device with a second scan pattern without touching the
patient with the second hand-held laser probe device.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a divisional application of co-pending
U.S. Application Ser. No. 10/612,504 filed Jul. 1, 2003 which
claims the benefit of co-pending U.S. Application Ser. No.
09/932,907 filed 08/20/2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,746,473, which
claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No.
60/273,282 filed Mar. 2, 2001.
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates generally to medical devices that
employ lasers. More particularly, this invention relates to a laser
light generator device that has two or more probes, enabling
multiple different treatments to be made simultaneously.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Low energy laser therapy (LLLT) is used in the treatment of
a broad range of conditions. LLLT improves wound healing, reduces
edema, and relieves pain of various etiologies, including
successful application post-operatively to liposuction to reduce
inflammation and pain. LLLT is also used during liposuction
procedures to facilitate removal of fat by causing intracellular
fat to be released into the interstice. It is also used in the
treatment and repair of injured muscles and tendons.
[0004] LLLT utilizes low level laser energy, that is, the treatment
has a dose rate that causes no immediate detectable temperature
rise of the treated tissue and no macroscopically visible changes
in tissue structure. Consequently, the treated and surrounding
tissue is not heated and is not damaged. There are a number of
variables in laser therapy including the wavelength of the laser
beam, the area impinged by the laser beam as it is scanned across a
treatment area, laser energy, pulse repetition rate, treatment
duration and tissue characteristics. The success of each therapy
depends on the relationship and combination of these variables. For
example, liposuction may be facilitated with one regimen utilizing
a given wavelength and treatment duration, whereas pain may be
treated with a regimen utilizing a different wavelength and
treatment duration, and inflammation a third regimen. Specific
devices are known in the art for each type of therapy.
[0005] Often it is desirable to treat a patient for multiple types
of problems during a single treatment. Because specific therapies
require different regimen, treating multiple problems currently
requires multiple separate laser devices. It is desirable to
provide a device that enables multiple types of treatments with a
single device. It is also desirable to be able to provide multiple
treatments simultaneously with a single device, in different areas
of a patient's body.
[0006] Therefore, an object of this invention is to provide a laser
therapy device that enables multiple types of treatments. It is
another object to provide a single device that provides these
treatments simultaneously. It is another object of this invention
to provide an apparatus that can simultaneously emit multiple beams
of laser light that can be applied to multiple areas of a patient's
body. It is another object of this invention to provide an
apparatus that can simultaneously emit laser light in multiple
different pulse repetition rates. It is a further object of this
invention to provide an apparatus that can simultaneously emit
laser light in multiple beam shapes and spot sizes. It is a
particular object of this invention to provide a hand-held
therapeutic laser device to provide low level laser therapy which
can be used to simultaneously facilitate liposuction, treat
post-operative inflammation and pain, and treat and repair injured
muscles and tendons.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] This invention is an improved hand-held laser device that
can simultaneously provide multiple types of low level laser
therapy treatments to two or more areas of a patient's body
simultaneously. The device enables laser light of different pulse
repetition rates, different beam shapes and spot sizes to be
applied to a patient's body. The device includes multiple laser
sources. In the preferred embodiment, two semiconductor diode laser
sources simultaneously provide two separate laser beams from
separate probes, one laser beam producing laser light at a first
pulse repetition rate and the other producing laser light at a
second pulse repetition rate.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a preferred embodiment
of the present invention.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the optical arrangement
producing a line spot shape of the preferred embodiment.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the optical arrangement
producing a circular spot shape of the preferred embodiment.
[0011] FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of a preferred embodiment
of the present invention, where the dotted line defines the
components disposed in each probe.
[0012] FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of an alternate
embodiment of the present invention, where the dotted line defines
the components disposed in each probe.
[0013] FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration of an alternate
embodiment of the present invention, where the dotted line defines
the components disposed in each probe.
[0014] FIG. 7 is a schematic illustration of application of
low-level laser radiation using the preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0015] Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a hand-held
laser device designated generally as 10. The device includes one or
more laser energy sources, a power source, at least two optical
arrangements, one or more control circuits, and at least two
hand-held aiming devices, referred to herein as probes. FIG. 1
shows the preferred embodiment in which a first probe 11 and a
second probe 12 are connected to a base 14, which includes a power
source 15 (not shown). The base 14 is typically a hand-held unit,
but it may also be a stationary unit that typically sits on a table
or the ground, functioning as a central base from which many probes
may be employed.
[0016] The preferred embodiment comprises a first laser energy
source 21 for emitting light from the first probe 11 and a second
laser energy source 22 for emitting light from the second probe 12.
The laser energy sources 21 and 22 are connected to the power
source 15. The power source preferably provides direct current,
such as that provided by a battery, but may instead provide
alternating current such as that provided by conventional building
current which is then converted to direct current. These laser
energy sources can be energized independently or simultaneously,
which throughout this specification refers to acts occurring at
generally at the same time.
[0017] The first laser energy source 21 and second laser energy
source 22 each produce a laser beam which exits the laser and is
shone through optical arrangements 41 and 42, respectively, that
produce beam spots. The beam spot is the cross-sectional shape and
size of the emitted beam as it exits the optical arrangement. For
example, a laser beam of circular cross-section creates a circular
beam spot as the laser light impinges the patient's skin. If the
laser light emitted is in the visible range, a circular spot can be
seen on the patient's skin of substantially the same diameter as
the laser beam emitted from the optical arrangement. Various beam
spot shapes can be created, including a line, a circle, an ellipse,
a plus-sign, or combination of any of them. The probes may produce
different spot shapes, or have the same spot shapes.
[0018] In the preferred embodiment, the first laser beam is passed
through a first optical arrangement that generates a beam of
substantially linear cross-section, resulting in a line of laser
light seen on the patient's skin. The second laser passes through a
second optical arrangement that generates a beam of circular
cross-section, resulting in a circular spot shape as seen on the
patient's skin. FIG. 2 illustrates the first optical arrangement 41
of the preferred device, which includes a collimating lens 44 and a
line generating prism 45. The collimating lens 44 and the line
generating prism 45 are disposed in serial relation to the laser
energy source 21. The collimating lens 44 and the line generating
prism 45 receive and transform the generated beam of laser light
into the line of laser light L. As an alternative, a suitable
electrical or mechanical arrangement could be substituted in the
optical arrangement for the lens or prism.
[0019] As shown in FIG. 3 the second optical arrangement 42 of the
preferred device includes a collimating lens 46 and a beam spot
shaping lens 47. As with the first optical arrangement, the
collimating lens 46 and beam spot shaping lens 47 are disposed in
serial relation to the second laser energy source 22. The
collimating lens 46 and beam spot shaping lens 47 receive and
transform the generated beam of laser light into a circular beam
spot of laser light C. As an alternative, a suitable electrical or
mechanical arrangement could be used in place of the lenses to
achieve a desired spot shape.
[0020] Control circuitry is connected to the laser energy sources
to control whether the lasers are on or off, how long the lasers
are powered on, the duration of each pulse of laser light emitted,
and the period of time between one pulse starting and the next
pulse starting, which, in combination with the duration of each
pulse is referred to herein as the pulse repetition rate. Typically
the control circuitry is digital, in discrete or integrated
circuits, as is known in the art, but analog circuits can also be
employed. In the preferred embodiment there are separate control
circuits for each probe. Control circuits 31 and 32 are connected
to the laser energy sources 21 and 22, respectively, to control the
various parameters of the emissions. For ease of reference, pulse
widths can be referred to in shorthand notation in pulses/second,
or Hz. Pulse repetition rates from 0 to 100,000 Hz may be employed
to achieve the desired effect on the patient's tissue. At 100,000
Hz, the pulse repetition rate is 0.00001 second. At 0 Hz, a
continuous beam of laser light is generated. The goal for LLLT
regimen is to deliver laser energy to the target tissue utilizing a
pulse repetition rate short enough to sufficiently energize the
targeted tissue and avoid thermal damage to adjacent tissue.
[0021] The probes have an interior cavity. In the preferred
embodiment, the first laser energy source 21 and first optical
arrangement 41 are contained in the first probe 11 and the second
laser energy source 22 and second optical arrangement 42 are
contained in the second probe 12, while the power source 15 and
control circuitry 31 and 32 are contained within the base 14. See
FIG. 4, which illustrates the configuration of the components of
the invention as they relate to each probe, and where the dotted
line 17 indicates the components disposed in the first probe and
dotted line 18 indicates the components disposed in the second
probe. Alternatively, the laser energy source, optical arrangement,
and control circuitry can be housed in the probe. That is, the
first laser energy source 21, the first optical arrangement 41, and
the control circuitry for the first probe 31 are contained in the
first probe 11, and the second laser energy source 22, the second
optical arrangement 42, and the control circuitry for the second
probe 32 are contained in the second probe 12, as the power source
15 remains within the base 14. See FIG. 5 in which dotted lines 17
and 18 again indicate the components that are in the probes. FIG. 6
shows another alternate configuration, in which a single laser
energy source 23, a single control circuitry 33 for the first probe
and the second probe, and the power source 15 are contained in the
base 14, and the probes contain only the optical arrangement for
the first probe 41 and the optical arrangement for the second probe
42, respectively. Again, the dotted lines 17 and 18 indicate which
components are in the probes.
[0022] Laser energy sources are known in the art for use in
low-level laser therapy. Visible light in about the 400-700 nm
range is preferred, and the pulse repetition rate is determined by
the particular therapy given to the patient. The laser energy
sources include Helium-Neon lasers having a 632 nm wavelength and
semiconductor diode lasers with a broad range of wavelengths
between about 600-800 nm. The laser energy sources in the preferred
embodiment are two semiconductor laser diodes that produce light in
the red range of the visible spectrum, having a wavelength of about
635 nm. Other suitable wavelengths are used for other particular
applications. While many LLLT regimen include visible laser light,
it may be advantageous to utilize ultraviolet (approx. 1-400 nm) or
infrared (approx 700-10.sup.5 nm) laser energy, again depending on
the type of treatment desired. Solid state and tunable
semiconductor laser diodes may also be employed to achieve the
desired wavelength.
[0023] Different therapy regimens require diodes of different
wattages. The preferred laser diodes use less than one watt of
power each to simultaneously facilitate liposuction, treat
post-operative inflammation, and post-operative pain. Diodes of
various other wattages may also be employed to achieve the desired
laser energy for the given regimen.
[0024] FIG. 7 illustrates the device in use. A practitioner 70
treats one area of the patient 71 with the first probe 11 and
treats a different area of the patient 71 with the second probe
12.
[0025] While there has been illustrated and described what is at
present considered to be a preferred embodiment of the present
invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that
various changes and modifications may be made, and equivalents may
be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the true
scope of the invention. Therefore, it is intended that this
invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as
the best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention, but that
the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope
of the appended claims.
* * * * *