Laser Scalpel

The present invention relates to an improvement of a laser scalpel in which optical fibers are used for optical wave guides.

One practical application of laser is as a laser scalpel for use in the medical field, particularly for medical treatments and operations of minute areas requiring high accuracy.

These days, light and flexible optical fibers are frequently used in a laser scalpel instead of the conventional optical wave guides of mirror reflecting type. As shown in FIG. 1, this laser scalpel consists of a laser main body 1 in which a laser oscillating portion as a laser source 17 and the like are housed and a shore 4 consisting of an upright post 2 standing on said laser main body 1 and an arm 3 which is extended horizontally and fixed to said post 2 at one end thereof. An optical fiber 5 is guided along said shore 4 and fixed thereto by means of clasps 6. The forward end of the fiber is hung down from the forward end of said arm 3.

Accordingly, although a laser scalpel is used by directly grasping the forward end of said optical fiber 5 or mounting the forward end of said optical fiber 5 on an endoscope, it is difficult to direct the laser in directions other than the axial direction of the optical fibers and therefore, the laser beam can not be directed correctly and the application of a laser scalpel is limited in dependence upon shapes and positions of the portions to be irradiated. In addition, as the optical fiber 5 is always hung down from the forward end of said arm 3, it gets in the way when the laser scalpel is not being used during an operation.

An object of the present invention is to provide a laser scalpel in which the disadvantages incidental to the conventional laser scalpel are dissolved, laser irradiation ranges are extended, and optical fibers used as optical wave guides do not get in the way when the laser scalpel is not being used.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a laser scalpel which is simple in construction and easy to handle.

The present invention may be summarized as a laser scalpel in which an optical fiber is used as the optical wave guide and the optical fiber is guided from a laser main body housing a laser source therein to the areas to be irradiated along a shore means provided on the laser main body. The optical fiber is provided with a hand piece on the exterior of the forward end portion. The hand piece is so constructed that it facilitates the orientation of the forward end of the fiber toward the areas to be irradiated. A supporting wire is provided along the shore so as to be axially movable. The forward end of the wire is connected to the hand piece and the rear end of the wire is connected to a balancing means for at least counterbalancing the weight of the hand piece.

FIG. 1 is a partly cut out perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of a laser scalpel unit according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross section of a hand piece, and

FIG. 3 is a transverse cross section showing another example of a balancing means.

A preferred embodiment of a laser scalpel according to the present invention will be described below in detail by reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of a laser scalpel according to the present invention.

As described above, an optical fiber 5, which is used for an optical wave guide, is guided along and is fixed on a shore 4, which consists of an upright post 2 standing on a laser main body 1 housing a laser 17 and a horizontal arm 3, by means of clasps 6. The forward portion of the fiber 5 is hung down from the forward end of said arm 3. A hand piece 7 adapted to be grasped by an operator's hand is provided on the forward end of said optical fiber 5. The hand piece 7 is fixed to the coating of said optical fiber 5 by means of adhesives and the like as shown in FIG. 2. The hand piece 7 has an inside diameter slightly larger than the outside diameter of said optical fiber 5 and can be constructed in various shapes so that the forward end thereof may be easily directed to the areas to be irradiated, for example in the shape of letter L. The application of the hand piece 7 having various shapes makes it possible to easily direct the laser beam on the areas which can not be irradiated by the conventional laser scalpel units.

On the other hand, blocks 8 are mounted on the lower surface of both end portions of said arm 3 and a wire 9 is passed through the blocks 8 and is installed along said optical fiber 5 so as to be slidable in the axial direction. The forward end of said wire 9 is fixedly connected to the rear end of said hand piece 7 and the rear end portion of said wire 9 is inserted into said main body 1 of a laser scalpel and is connected with a weight 10 acting as a balancing means for supporting the combined weight of the hanging down portion of said optical fiber 5 and said hand piece 7.

Accordingly, the weight acting on the hanging portion of said optical fiber 5 and the like is supported through said wire 9 and counter-balanced by said weight 10 and thereby said hand piece 7 can be held at the desired position by moving said wire 9 through said blocks 8 while said hand piece 7 can be positioned above when the laser scalpel unit is not being used.

By this, breakage of the optical fiber 5 due to the weight of the hand piece 7 and the hanging portion of the fiber is prevented. Also, the hand piece 7 and the fiber 5 do not get in the way when the unit is not being used.

In addition to said weight 10, a wire drum 11 as shown in FIG. 3 may be used for a balancing means.

One end of a spiral spring 12 is mounted on the inside of said wire drum 11 while the other end of said spiral spring 12 is mounted on a rotation axis 13 of said wire drum 11. Spring force acts on said spiral spring 12 so as to wind said wire 9 when the wire 9 is pulled out, the end of which is fixedly mounted on the wire drum 11. The wire drum 11 is provided with a ratchet wheel 14 for stopping said wire drum 11 at optional positions. Said ratchet wheel 14 is stopped by means of click 15. A control lever 16 of said click 15 is installed in said main body 1 of a laser scalpel unit.

Accordingly, said wire 9 wound around said wire drum 11 is drawn out and simultaneously spring force is accumulated in said spiral spring 12, and the drum is fixed by means of said click 15, when said hand piece 7 is pulled. On the other hand, said wire 9 is wound around said wire drum 11 by the action of said spiral spring 12 by operating said control lever 16 to undo said click 15 from said ratchet wheel 14 and thereby said hand piece 7 is lifted.

As specifically described above on the basis of the preferred embodiment, according to the present invention, an optical fiber, which forms an optical wave guide of a laser scalpel, is provided with a hand piece at the forward end portion thereof, which facilitates the orientation of the forward end of the fiber toward the areas to be irradiated. Accordingly, the laser beam can be accurately directed to on the target areas to be irradiated in medical treatments and the range of operations can be extended. Furthermore, the optical fiber is not subjected to an excessive force which might break the fiber because a hand piece and the hanging down portion of the optical fiber are supported by a wire provided with a balancing means. Simultaneously, a laser scalpel of the present invention can be put out of the way when other medical treatments and operations are being performed, because the hand piece and hanging down portion of the fiber can be lifted and remain in the raised position.