Abstract: A long pulse alexandrite laser hair removal system is disclosed using light pulses of greater than 1 msec and fluences between 10 and 50 J/cm2. The use of an alexandrite laser allows good penetration while still achieving an acceptable combination of hemoglobin and melanin absorption. The use of an index-matching application on the skin sections to be treated is also described. This substance will be absorbed into the epidermal layer to provide better coupling of the laser light into the skin. Also, and most advantageously, it will reduce reflections at the epidermal-dermal junction, which can lead to the damage of the skin. Also a topical thermal or photochromic indicator is suggested since skin irradiation in the near-infrared generally does not produce any characteristic skin color change as is found when using pulsed dye lasers, for example.

Abstract: A method for the prevention of a scar on the skin of a patient after the beginning healing of a wound or surgical site on that patient. The method comprises the steps of providing an optical radiation apparatus with a handpiece communicating therewith, energizing the optical radiation apparatus to provide a beam of light, directing the light beam onto a wound or surgical site of a patient after 2 days and before 2 months from the date of injury or surgical procedure to the patient. The beam has a wavelength range of about 530 nm to 1000 nm and the beam has a fluence range of from 2 J/cm2 to 12 J/cm2. The beam is preferrably generated by a pulsed dye laser apparatus.

Abstract: A method for the treatment of wrinkles on human skin, by stimulating collagen growth beneath the epidermis layer, comprising the steps of: arranging a pulsed dye laser generator in light communication with a pulsed dye laser delivery device. The pulsed dye laser delivery device is applied against tissue having wrinkles. The pulsed dye laser generator generates a pulsed dye laser light. A pulsed dye laser light from the pulsed dye laser delivery device is directed onto the tissue, to reach hemoglobin in a collagen layer up to about 1.2 mm. beneath the surface of the tissue to effect growth changes therein.

Abstract: A long pulse alexandrite laser hair removal system is disclosed using light pulses of greater than 1 msec and fluences between 10 and 50 J/cm.sup.2. The use of an alexandrite laser allows good penetration while still achieving an acceptable combination of hemoglobin and melanin absorption. The use an index-matching application on the skin sections to be treated is also described. This substance will be absorbed into the epidermal layer to provide better coupling of the laser light into the skin. Also, and most advantageously, it will reduce reflections at the epidermal-dermal junction, which can lead to the damage of the skin. Also a topical thermal or photochromic indicator is suggested since skin irradiation in the near-infrared generally does not produce any characteristic skin color change as is found when using pulsed dye lasers, for example.

Abstract: A medical instrument, such as a cautery device, wherein bleeding is stopped or prevented by clamping the bleeding site with a dedicated forceps and using a highly localized heat source such as a fiber-coupled laser. The laser energy quickly and locally heats up the tip of the forceps cautery device. The tip of the forceps device has minimum thermal mass and is thermally insulated from the body of the forceps. In this present invention, there is no electrical current flowing through or into the tip of the instrument, and can therefore be safely used in any part of the body including around the heart or the brain. When combined with a small semiconductor laser, the device is battery operated, self-contained and hand-held, and can therefore be used in any environment including outdoors.

Abstract: A long pulse alexandrite laser hair removal system is disclosed using light pulses of greater than 1 msec and fluences between 10 and 50 J/cm.sup.2. The use of an alexandrite laser allows good penetration while still achieving an acceptable combination of hemoglobin and melanin absorption. The use an index-matching application on the skin sections to be treated is also described. This substance will be absorbed into the epidermal layer to provide better coupling of the laser light into the skin. Also, and most advantageously, it will reduce reflections at the epidermal-dermal junction, which can lead to the damage of the skin. Also a topical thermal or photochromic indicator is suggested since skin irradiation in the near-infrared generally does not produce any characteristic skin color change as is found when using pulsed dye lasers, for example.

Abstract: A combined sclerotherapy and light treatment method is described for the treatment of unwanted veins such as varicose and telangiectatic leg veins. Substantially increased success, in the range of 90-100%, has been achieved by implementing a dwell time of between 12 hours and 6 months between the light-based therapy and the sclerotherapy. Near infra-red wavelength light is preferably used in the light therapy due to its better depths of penetration through the skin to deeper lying, larger vessels such as varicose veins.

Abstract: Near-infrared selective photothermolysis for the treatment of ectatic blood vessels, for example, blood vessels of a portwine stain birthmark. This technique is especially applicable to deeper lying blood vessels in view of the better penetration of the near infrared light. Consequently, vessels are below a dermal/epidermal boundary can be reached. Near-infrared is defined as a range of approximately 700 to 1,200 nm. The optimal colors are near 760 or between 980 to 990 nm for most populations.

Abstract: A long pulsed dye laser device for selective photothermolysis comprises at least two pulsed dye lasers, such as flash lamp excited dye lasers, each generating corresponding pulsed laser beams successively in time. These lasers can be coordinated by a synchronizer that sequentially triggers the lasers. A combining network merges the pulse laser beams into a combined beam and a delivery system conveys the combined pulse laser beam to a patient. An example of a delivery device is a single optical fiber. This invention enables production of the necessary pulse widths, on the order of 2 msec, which can not be achieved by individual dye lasers, generally lower than 0.8 msec. Also disclosed is a selective photothermolysis method. This method comprises irradiating a tissue section of a patient with a pulsed laser beam having a changing color across a time period of the pulse.

Abstract: An endoscopic light delivery system for delivering light to tissue includes a laser source for generating light. Fiber optics encased in a plastic buffer are optically coupled to the laser source for conveying the light generated by the laser source. A tip member secured to the fiber optics positions a mirror adjacent to the light delivery end of the fiber optics. The mirror redirects light conveyed by the fiber optics in a direction lateral to the fiber optics. A heat resistant ring encircling the fiber optics near the light delivery end shields the fiber optics from heat to prevent the plastic buffer near the light delivery end from melting. A lateral extension of the tip member spaces the mirror and fiber optics away from tissue. A band with a circumferential groove encircles the light receiving end of the fiber optics. A connector having a bore is capable of receiving the light receiving end of the fiber optics in the bore and locking the band within the bore by engaging the groove with a locking device.

Abstract: The present invention involves a system for transmyocardial revascularization of a beating heart, including a laser device for ablating wall tissue of the heart being treated, with a pacemaker connected to the heart being treated, to provide electrical signals to control the cardiac cycle of that heart, and a conditioning circuit connected to both the pacemaker and to the laser, to permit the controlled "safe period" firing of the laser. The laser includes an optic waveguide articulably arranged to irradiate the wall of the heart. The conditioning circuit is programmed to permit the firing of the laser upon the time of the cardiac cycle of the heart during a non-ventricular repolarization time period.

Abstract: In a dye laser system, a porous bed filter is loaded with dye prior to operation of the system. With repeated firings, the dye solution is filtered by the porous bed filter to remove by-products of the laser process. Solute concentration is monitored and dye and additives removed by the filter are replenished by a metering pump. Precise temperature control assures consistent filtering of dye by the filter for more consistent color and energy output. To control the metering pump, the differential output of a two-channel absorption detector is digitized. The digitized signal is loaded into a counter which drives the metering pump. The useful lifetime of the dye solution is enhanced by incorporating pH buffers in the solution.

Abstract: A flashlamp-excited dye laser generating light pulses for therapy has a circulator which circulates a gain media through a dye cell. A controller coordinates operation by triggering flashlamps to excite the laser gain media while the circulator is circulating the gain media. This operation enables the generation of laser light pulses with a duration of at least one millisecond. If the flow velocity of dye solution is great enough such that the new solution enters the resonant cavity before the solutions in the cavity are substantially spent, ultra-long pulses with high fluences are possible. Specifically, longer pulses of up to 50 msec can be achieved with energies of up to 50 Joules. These energies enable reasonable spot sizes, which makes the invention relevant to dermal therapy, for example.

Abstract: The optical design of a laser resonator smooths out the intensity beam profile of the generated laser beam and prevents the formation of "hot-spots." The active laser resonator containing the active laser medium is optically coupled to a free space passive optical resonator to provide mixing and filtering of the spatial modes.

Abstract: In an apparatus and method for thermal cutting with a surgical laser probe, fiber optics convey laser light from a source to the surgery region. The laser beam is directed towards tissue for vaporizing the tissue. A bulbous tip member is coupled to the output end of the fiber optics. Vaporization of the tissue by the laser generates charred tissue particulates which naturally collect on the face of the bulbous tip member. The collected charred tissue absorbs reflected light energy from the laser vaporization of tissue. The absorbed energy heats the tip member which causes vaporization of proximate tissue.

Abstract: An endoscopic light delivery system for delivering light to tissue includes a laser source for generating light. Fiber optics encased in a plastic buffer are optically coupled to the laser source for conveying the light generated by the laser source. A tip member secured to the fiber optics positions a mirror adjacent to the light delivery end of the fiber optics. The mirror redirects light conveyed by the fiber optics in a direction lateral to the fiber optics. A heat resistant ring encircling the fiber optics near the light delivery end shields the fiber optics from heat to prevent the plastic buffer near the light delivery end from melting. A lateral extension of the tip member spaces the mirror and fiber optics away from tissue. A band with a circumferential groove encircles the light receiving end of the fiber optics. A connector having a bore is capable of receiving the light receiving end of the fiber optics in the bore and locking the band within the bore by engaging the groove with a locking device.

Abstract: An endoscopic light delivery system for delivering light to tissue includes a laser source for generating light. Fiber optics are optically coupled to the laser source for conveying the light generated by the laser source. A focusing surface is formed at an end of the fiber optics. The focusing surface of the fiber optics is shaped for redirecting light conveyed by the fiber optics in a direction lateral to the fiber optics for cutting tissue. A single optical fiber or a bundle of optical fiber can be used to transmit plural wavelengths of light for aiming cutting and coagulating.

Abstract: The individual outputs of a large laser diode array are combined using an optical transformer of diffractive optics. To allow for the tolerances in the laser array and combining optics required for mass production, the system further includes corrector optics. The corrector optics includes individual lens elements which are fabricated to provide specific correction of faults in the individual lasers and associated combining optics resulting from manufacturing tolerances. The preferred corrector lenses include diffractive lenses fabricated by laser milling.