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

[0018]According to still further exemplary implementation of the embodiments of the present invention, the camera assembly includes an output having an electrical cable extended from the camera assembly to transmit an electrical image signal from the camera assembly to an image processor, an image display device, or any site where an image can be provided for the surgery. According to st

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 end

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