Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method and system for estimating the temperature of a working environment. Treatments that use laser and optical fiber technology may cause an undesirable increase in the temperature of a working environment. To that end, a laser source to generate light beams sensitive to a change in temperature can be generated and the temperature determined based on a distance between a distal end of the optical fiber and a target and the generated temperature sensitive light beam.

Abstract: The present disclosure is related to field of Fiber Feedback (FFB) technology, and provides a method and system for estimating the distance between a fiber end and a target. The method includes illuminating, by a Light Emitting, Transmitting and Detecting (LETD) system, the target with laser light of different wavelengths having low and high water absorption coefficients, using different laser light sources, as well as receiving a returned signal corresponding to the incident laser light of different wavelengths, and detecting the returned signal to measure intensity values of the returned signal of a specific wavelength. Using the measured intensity values, a processing unit may estimate distance between the fiber end and the target. The present disclosure enables accurate estimation of distance between a fiber end and the target. The present disclosure also provides a robust distance estimation technique which is compatible with different types of targets.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method and system for estimating the temperature of a working environment. Treatments that use laser and optical fiber technology may cause an undesirable increase in the temperature of a working environment. To that end, a laser source to generate light beams sensitive to a change in temperature can be generated and the temperature determined based on a distance between a distal end of the optical fiber and a target and the generated temperature of the sensitive light beam.

Abstract: Medical systems including a medical device are described. The medical device may include a shaft defining working channels, wherein each working channel has a respective lumen with a respective distal opening and the distal openings are positioned at a distal portion of the shaft. The medical device may further include an imaging device positioned at the distal portion of the shaft. The medical system may further include an instrument movable through one or more of the working channels; and a light source. A distal portion of the instrument may include an expandable end effector. The light source may be releasably positionable within the expandable end effector of the instrument.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an endoscopic laser lithotripsy device and methods for such a device where image acquisition, lasing, illumination, and/or image processing is configured to mitigate distortions in the captured image resulting from the laser.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a medical optical fiber with protective tips for use with medical laser-based treatment of internal bodily organs. The medical optical fibers have apertures in a jacket of the medical optical fiber to increase an adhesion between the protective tip and the jacket.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides medical optical fibers configured to couple to medical laser systems and convey laser energy to a target. The medical optical fibers comprise a fiber core surrounded by a cladding which is further surrounded by a jacket. The overall diameter of the jacket is configured for use with conventional endoscopes, but the diameter of the fiber core is configured to convey the laser energy at power densities to cause interactions between the laser energy and the target and between the laser energy and the liquid medium in which the target is found.

Abstract: An optical resonator for a medical laser system is provided. The optical resonator comprises a lasing medium, an optical pump, and a high-reflective (HR) and an optical coupling (OC) reflector. The HR and OC reflectors are disposed symmetrically relative to the lasing medium and the HR mirror, the OC mirror, or both the HR mirror and the OC mirror are flat mirrors. The optical resonator also includes a doped insert in which the lasing medium is disposed.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards medical optical fibers with protective tips for use with endoscopes for laser based treatment of internal bodily organs and method of manufacture therefor. The medical optical fibers have a short stripped medical optical fiber section and a protective tip provided thereon to encapsulate both the stripped medical optical fiber section and the jacket tip immediately there behind.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method and system for distinguishing between a stone and a tissue based on fluorescence from the stone or the tissue. Multiple reference beams are projected on a target to determine the distance to the target. The intensity of a fluorescence excitation beam is measured in conjunction with the determined distance to calculate the luminescence of the target and therefore it is a valid target for therapeutic lasing. In case a valid target for therapeutic lasing is detected and a switch is actuated, the therapeutic lasing will be enabled. In case a valid target for therapeutic lasing is not detected and the switch is actuated, the therapeutic lasing will be immediately disabled. The fluorescence excitation beam is pulsed at a high intensity and low duty cycle to avoid blinding an endoscopic imager used in the procedure.

Abstract: Apparatus for the treatment of a target tissue with a laser beam in which the target tissue is immersed in a liquid medium within a body lumen. The laser device is configured to provide one or more laser pulses which are configured by a controller to have an energy sufficient to form one or more vapor bubbles in the liquid medium at the distal delivery end of the fiber. The one or more pulses are configured by the controller to: first, cause a vapor bubble to be formed distally of the distal end portion of the endoscope and around the distal delivery end of the optical fiber; second, cause a second bubble to be formed distally of the first bubble; and, third, inflate the second bubble as the first bubble has begun to collapse to expand an amount sufficient to displace a substantial portion of the liquid medium from the space between the distal delivery end of the fiber and the target tissue.

Abstract: A method of treating a mobile target tissue with a laser beam includes: providing a laser device for generating a laser beam and providing an optical fiber having a delivery end for guiding the laser beam to the target tissue; a controller causes the laser device to generate one or more laser pulses substantially along the same longitudinal axis. The controller causes the laser device to provide one or more laser pulses. The one or more pulses are selected to allow a vapor bubble formed by the one or more pulse to expand an amount sufficient to displace a substantial portion of the liquid medium from the space between the delivery end of the fiber and the target tissue. The one or more pulses are delivered to the target tissue through the vapor bubble after the vapor bubble has reached its maximum extent and has begun to collapse to reduce retropulsion of the mobile target tissue.

Abstract: Described herein are laser emitting medical devices and techniques implementable by laser emitting medical devices to determine when an optical fiber is disposed within an endoscope. The devices and techniques to determine the location of the endoscope, are based on light received by the optical fiber from scope illuminating lights located on the distal end of the endoscope. An activation device enables lasing, and a computing system interrupts the lasing procedure if the optical fiber enters the endoscope.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards medical optical fibers with protective tips for use with endoscopes for laser based treatment of internal bodily organs and method of manufacture therefor. The medical optical fibers have a short stripped medical optical fiber section and a protective tip provided thereon to encapsulate both the stripped medical optical fiber section and the jacket tip immediately therebehind.

Abstract: Described herein are laser emitting medical devices and techniques implementable by laser emitting medical devices to determine and display a pop-dusting efficiency of a lasing treatment where a distal end of an optical fiber is disposed in a liquid environment. The devices and techniques provide to determine the pop-dusting efficiency based on the average distance of a target from the distal end of the optical fiber, as well as the “strikes per second” as calculated by a computing system.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for a retrieval device for addressing a kidney stone. A retrieval device includes an expandable basket with a deployed cover. The basket is expanded and maneuvered around the kidney stone. The cover is then deployed around the basket to contain the kidney stone for laser lithotripsy. Fragments at or below a target size are allowed to escape through apertures in the cover or are removed via a suction tube.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a laser generator comprising several laser sources where each laser source is arranged to generate a series of laser pulses offset in time from the other series of laser pulses generated by the other laser sources. The offset series of pulses are combined to provide a composite series of laser pulses with a higher frequency than each of the series of pulses have individually. Further, the present disclosure provides that the pulses of the composite series of laser pulses are non-equidistant from each other.

Abstract: A tissue dissecting system for dissecting and removing tissue in a body as well as apparatuses of a tissue dissecting system are described. The system includes a holder defining a housing and an elongated cannula defining a fiber tube and a suction tube. One end of the cannula is coupled to the holder and the other end of the cannula is configured to accommodate a tip. The tip includes a body defined with an inclined tip surface. A first aperture is defined along a longitudinal axis of the body and the first aperture is configured to accommodate an optical fiber. Further, a second aperture is configured adjacent the first aperture where, the second aperture is fluidly connectable to a suction tube.

Abstract: Laser apparatus including laser devices for emitting laser pulses, a motorized laser pulse reflection arrangement continuously rotated at a uniform angular velocity for reflecting laser pulses along a single optical path toward a target and a controller synchronized with the motorized laser pulse reflection arrangement for individually firing the laser devices for emitting a train of laser pulses reaching the target without obstruction by the motorized laser pulse reflection arrangement.

Abstract: Described herein are laser emitting medical devices and techniques implementable by laser emitting medical devices to determine a power of light emitted from a distal end of an optical fiber coupled to the medical device where the distal end of the optical fiber is disposed in a liquid environment. The devices and techniques provide to determine the power of the emitted light based on the duration or length of a bubble formed in the liquid environment by the emitted light.