Medical optical fiber with tip protection capsule encapsulation

Abstract

To provide a medical optical fiber having a protective tip for being used with a medical laser-based treatment for internal organs.SOLUTION: An opening is provided in a jacket of a medical optical fiber so as to enhance adhesiveness between a protective tip and the jacket.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] (Cross - reference to related applications) This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 63 / 179,487, filed on April 25, 2021, entitled "Medical Optical Fiber with Protective Tip Encapsulation", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Background Art

[0002] Medical optical fibers typically include an optical fiber and a jacket surrounding the optical fiber. The optical fiber can comprise an innermost optical core and, optionally, a cladding layer surrounding the optical core. Some optical fibers can optionally include a mechanical support layer surrounding the cladding layer. Further, medical optical fibers often include a jacket (or protective layer), many of which can have a portion of the jacket peeled back at the distal end. For example, like an electrical wire, the optical fiber can be peeled to expose the core of the optical fiber at the distal end. The diameter of medical optical fibers ranges from tens of microns to hundreds of microns. Due to this small diameter, the distal section of a medical optical fiber can be sharp or pointed.

[0003] Some medical optical fibers include a smooth tip disposed on the distal end to assist in passing through an endoscope. The addition of such a tip is designed to be broken, fragmented, melted, or otherwise destroyed when a laser pulse is activated to expose the optical fiber core. Some tips provide mechanical strength to the medical optical fiber. However, due to the adhesion between the tip and the jacket, the tip may loosen or fall off during manufacturing or use.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] This disclosure provides a medical optical fiber comprising an optical fiber arranged along its longitudinal direction. The medical optical fiber further comprises an optical fiber tip located at the distal end of the medical optical fiber, the distal end of the medical optical fiber comprising an optical fiber tip having an optical fiber end face transverse the longitudinal axis. Furthermore, the optical fiber comprises an innermost optical core having an optical core end face at the center of the optical fiber end face. The medical optical fiber further comprises a jacket surrounding the optical fiber, the jacket having a distal jacket end face portion transverse the longitudinal axis, and the jacket comprising at least one opening or aperture.

[0005] Further provided herein are protective tips for encapsulating optical fiber end faces and jacket end faces, the protective tips overlapping multiple openings. In some embodiments, the protective tips substantially contact the inner surfaces of the multiple openings to provide high adhesion of the protective tips to the medical optical fiber.

[0006] In some embodiments, a predetermined number of openings are of any depth up to the total depth of the jacket, and include the total depth of the jacket. The openings of the medical optical fiber can have any geometric shape or volume. A predetermined number of the openings of the medical optical fiber can include opening sidewalls, and the opening sidewalls can have any geometric shape. Furthermore, a predetermined number of the openings of the medical optical fiber can include volumes of any geometric volume.

[0007] In some embodiments, the medical optical fiber includes multiple apertures, each of which is of a different depth and / or geometric shape within the jacket. In some embodiments, the apertures within the multiple apertures are coaxial with the longitudinal axis. The apertures of the medical optical fiber may extend from the jacket end face. In other embodiments, the apertures of the medical optical fiber traverse the longitudinal axis.

[0008] In some embodiments, the protective tip is made of a material that absorbs laser energy and undergoes one or more fragmentation and / or melting, so that at least a portion of the front protective tip surface in front of the optical fiber end face is fragmented or melted when laser energy is transmitted through the medical optical fiber, allowing the laser energy to be transmitted to internal organs via the optical core end face.

[0009] To facilitate identification of discussions concerning any element or action, the leading digit (one or more) of the reference number refers to the drawing number in which that element was first introduced. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This figure shows a medical optical fiber according to at least one embodiment. [Figure 2A] This figure shows another medical optical fiber according to at least one embodiment. [Figure 2B] Figure 2A shows an alternative to the medical optical fiber. [Figure 3] This figure shows another medical optical fiber according to at least one embodiment. [Figure 4] This figure shows another medical optical fiber according to at least one embodiment. [Figure 5] This figure shows another medical optical fiber according to at least one embodiment. [Figure 6A] This figure shows another medical optical fiber according to at least one embodiment. [Figure 6B] This figure shows another medical optical fiber according to at least one embodiment. [Figure 7] This shows a medical optical fiber. [Figure 8] This figure shows a manufacturing method according to at least one embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Figure 1 shows a medical optical fiber 100 having an optical fiber 102 and a jacket 104. At the distal end 106 of the medical optical fiber 100, the optical fiber 102 has an end face 108 and the jacket 104 has an end face 110. The medical optical fiber 100 further includes a protective tip 112 having a trailing edge protective tip face 114 located at the distal end 106 of the medical optical fiber 100. In some embodiments, the protective tip 112 overlaps with a portion of the jacket 104 at the distal end 106. In particular, the protective tip 112 overlaps with a portion of the jacket 104 to cover the jacket 104 and the end face 110 and to protect the end face.

[0012] The end face 110 of the jacket 104 is spaced a length L1 118 from the jacket 104 of the optical fiber 102 along the longitudinal axis 116. In some embodiments, the length L1 118 is between approximately 400 and 500 micrometers (μm). Generally, the protective tip 112 can be manufactured and / or provided on the medical optical fiber 100 using any variety of conventional manufacturing techniques that do not interfere with its structure or operation. Such conventional manufacturing techniques include, but are not limited to, bonding, curing, and the like.

[0013] The jacket 104 includes an opening or aperture 120. The opening 120 can be formed in various shapes and directions. In some embodiments, the opening 120 includes one or more grooves that, when viewed from the distal end 106, cross the longitudinal axis or rather extend circumferentially around the medical optical fiber 100. In some examples, the jacket 104 may include multiple openings 120. The multiple openings 120 may be the same or different in shape or volume. Furthermore, the openings 120 can be formed within the jacket 104 at various depths.

[0014] In some embodiments, openings or holes 120 within the jacket 104 can be prepared by steps including, but not limited to, chemical etching, laser etching, physical delamination, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the peripheral surface of the jacket 104 is prepared to exhibit a surface with higher adhesive strength (e.g., scratch, sand, or similar). Some jacket materials, such as Teflon, have low adhesive strength.

[0015] In some embodiments, the medical optical fiber 100 further comprises a cladding layer 124 and a mechanical support layer 122. In some embodiments, the protective tip 112 is attached to the medical optical fiber 100 through at least one opening 120. That is, the protective tip 112 is attached to and in contact with the mechanical support layer 122 through the opening 120. In some embodiments, the opening 120 can be made through the mechanical support layer 122 so that the cladding layer 124 is exposed. In such embodiments, the protective tip 112 is attached to and in contact with the cladding layer 124 through the opening 120. Contact of the protective tip material on the mechanical support layer 122 and / or cladding layer 124 can have greater adhesive strength than contact with the jacket 104 alone.

[0016] Figures 2A and 2B show a medical optical fiber 200 that may include elements similar to those of the medical optical fiber 100 depicted in Figure 1. However, the medical optical fiber 200 differs from the medical optical fiber 100 in that it includes a groove 202 formed in the jacket 104. The groove 202 extends from the distal end 106 along the longitudinal axis 116. The groove 202 may be positioned to expose the mechanical support layer 122 and / or the mechanical support cladding layer 124. In some examples, a single groove 202 is provided. In other examples, multiple grooves 202 are provided.

[0017] The protective tip 112 is disposed on the distal end portion 106 of the medical optical fiber 200 and overlaps a portion of the jacket 104 such that the protective tip 112 overlaps or covers the groove 202. For example, FIG. 2B shows a cutaway view seen from the distal end portion 106 along the cutting line 204. As can be seen in the figure, the protective tip 112 contacts the mechanical support layer 122 through the groove 202 to provide connection of the protective tip 112 to the jacket 104.

[0018] FIG. 3 shows a medical optical fiber 300 including an optical fiber 102, a cladding layer 124, and a jacket 104. The medical optical fiber 300 further includes a plurality of openings 120 formed at different positions along the jacket 104. As described above, the openings 120 can be formed circumferentially around the medical optical fiber 300. Further, the openings 120 can have different depths. For example, different depths D1 302 and depth D2 304 are shown. In some embodiments, the plurality of openings 120 can have the same depth, but another opening 120 or other openings 120 can have different depths. In some embodiments, one or more of the openings 120 are formed to a depth D1 302 to reach or contact the cladding layer 12, and one or more other openings 120 are formed to a depth D2 304 that does not reach or contact the cladding layer a 124.

[0019] In some embodiments, the openings 120 can have sidewalls of different shapes or configurations. For example, FIG. 4 shows a medical optical fiber 400 including an optical fiber 102, a cladding layer 124, a jacket 104, and an opening 120 formed in the jacket 104. The opening 120 has sidewalls 402 that can have various shapes. As a specific example, the sidewalls 402 can be curved. As another example, the sidewalls 402 can be undercut such that the opening 120 is wider at the lower part of the opening 120 than at the upper part of the opening 120.

[0020] FIG. 5 shows a medical optical fiber 500 that shows a jacket 104 surrounding an optical fiber 102. The medical optical fiber 500 further includes a plurality of openings 120 formed in the jacket 104. In this example, the openings 120 are formed to have different geometric shapes. Although not specifically depicted in this figure, the openings 120 can have different depths or volumes. Further, although each of the openings 120 is shown as having a different geometric shape, the openings 120 can have the same geometric shape or any combination of the same geometric shape and different geometric shapes.

[0021] FIGS. 6A and 6B show a medical optical fiber 600a and a medical optical fiber 600b, respectively. The medical optical fiber 600a and the medical optical fiber 600b are depicted with protective tips 112 having different elongated spherical shapes. Generally, the protective tip 112 can be formed to have any of various lengths. For example, the medical optical fiber 600a depicted in FIG. 6A shows a protective tip 112 having a length L2 602, while the medical optical fiber 600b depicted in FIG. 6B shows a protective tip 112 having a length L3 604 that is longer than the length L2 602.

[0022] In some embodiments, the length of the protective tip 112 can be arranged such that the protective tip 112 extends sufficiently to cover or overlap the openings 120 of the jacket 104 from the distal end 106 towards the proximal end.

[0023] Figure 7 shows a medical optical fiber 700. The medical optical fiber 700 includes a protective tip 112 formed at the distal end 106 of the medical optical fiber 700. Furthermore, the protective tip 112 includes a blunt distal portion 702. In some embodiments, the distal end 106 of the protective tip 112 can be flattened or blunted to form a blunt distal portion 702. In some specific embodiments, the blunt distal portion 702 is flattened to be 100 to 150 micrometers away from the end face 108 of the optical fiber 102. The advantage of the blunt distal portion 702 is that it increases the predictability of the output of the laser radiation from the end face 108 of the optical fiber 102. For example, in other embodiments discussed herein, while a first few pulses of laser radiation open or form a passage through the protective tip 112, using the blunt distal portion 702 allows the passage to open in a shorter time and requires less laser radiation to open the passage.

[0024] Figure 8 shows a method 800 for manufacturing a medical optical fiber. Method 800 can be carried out to manufacture medical optical fibers such as medical optical fiber 100, medical optical fiber 200, medical optical fiber 300, medical optical fiber 400, medical optical fiber 500, medical optical fiber 600a, and medical optical fiber 600b as shown herein. Method 800 can be started from block 802. In “Providing a medical optical fiber” of block 802, a medical optical fiber can be provided. In some examples, the prepared medical optical fiber may have an optical fiber 102 surrounded or enclosed by a jacket 104. The provided medical optical fiber may further have a mechanical support layer 122 and / or a cladding layer 124. The optical fiber 102 and the jacket 104 have end faces (e.g., end face 108 and end face 110, respectively) formed on the distal end 106 of the provided medical optical fiber.

[0025] The process proceeds to block 804, "Forming an opening or aperture in the jacket of a medical optical fiber," where an opening is formed in the jacket of the provided medical optical fiber. For example, the opening 120 can be formed in the jacket 104 adjacent to the end face 110 or the distal end 106. The opening or hole 120 can be formed by laser etching, acid etching, cutting, grinding, etc.

[0026] Proceed to block 806, "Attaching the protective tip to the medical optical fiber so that the protective tip overlaps the opening," and the protective tip that overlaps the opening can be attached to the medical optical fiber. For example, the protective tip 112 can be attached to the distal end 106 of the medical optical fiber so that the protective tip 112 overlaps or covers the opening 120. In some embodiments, the protective tip 112 completely covers and fills the opening 120.

[0027] In the discussion, unless otherwise specified, adjectives such as “substantially” and “about” modifying the condition or relational feature of one or more features of the embodiments of the present disclosure are understood to mean that the condition or feature is defined within the permissible limits permitted for the operation of the embodiment for its intended use. Unless otherwise indicated, the term “or” in this specification and the claims is considered to be an inclusive “or” rather than an exclusive “or,” indicating at least one or any combination of the items it combines.

[0028] Although the presented concepts have been described in relation to a limited number of embodiments, it will be understood that many variations, modifications, and other applications of this disclosure can be carried out without departing from the scope of the appended claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0029] 100 Medical Fiber Optics 102 Optical Fiber 104 Jacket 106 Distal end 108 End face 110 End face 112 Protective tip 114 End protection tip surface 116 Longitudinal axis 118 Length L1 120 opening 122 Mechanical support layer 124 Clad layer

Claims

1. Medical optical fiber, A medical optical fiber core having an optical fiber end face at its distal end, A jacket surrounding the optical fiber core, The end face of the optical fiber is encapsulated and a protective tip extends longitudinally from the distal end of the medical optical fiber toward the proximal end of the medical optical fiber, A medical optical fiber, wherein the protective tip comprises a flattened distal end configured to open a passage in response to laser energy, such as by shattering, fragmenting, melting, or otherwise, to allow the transmission of laser energy through the optical fiber end face.

2. The medical optical fiber according to claim 1, wherein the flattened distal end is located at a predetermined distance from the end face of the optical fiber.

3. The medical optical fiber according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined distance is between approximately 100 micrometers and 150 micrometers.

4. The medical optical fiber according to claim 1, wherein the protective tip comprises a material that absorbs laser energy and fragments or melts when laser energy is transmitted.

5. The medical optical fiber according to claim 1, further comprising a cladding layer disposed between the optical fiber core and the jacket.

6. The medical optical fiber according to claim 1, wherein the protective tip overlaps with the distal end face of the jacket.

7. The medical optical fiber according to claim 1, wherein the flattened distal end forms a blunt distal portion before laser operation.

8. The blunt distal portion increases the predictability of the output of the laser radiation from the end face of the optical fiber, as described in claim 1.

9. The medical optical fiber according to claim 1, wherein the protective tip provides mechanical protection to the distal end of the medical optical fiber before laser operation.

10. A medical laser system, A laser console configured to generate laser energy, A medical optical fiber coupled to the laser console, wherein the medical optical fiber is An optical fiber core having an optical fiber end face at its distal end, A jacket surrounding the optical fiber core, A medical optical fiber comprising: a encapsulated end face of the optical fiber and a protective tip extending longitudinally from the distal end of the medical optical fiber; A medical laser system wherein the protective tip has a flattened distal end configured to open a passage in response to laser energy delivered from the laser console by shattering, fragmenting, melting, or other means.

11. The medical laser system according to claim 10, wherein the laser console is configured to emit laser energy pulses.

12. The medical laser system according to claim 10, wherein the laser console is configured to deliver laser energy for lithotomy or tissue ablation.

13. The medical laser system according to claim 10, wherein the flattened distal end is located between approximately 100 micrometers and 150 micrometers from the end face of the optical fiber.

14. The medical laser system according to claim 10, wherein the protective tip is configured to be shattered or melted when the laser pulse is first emitted.

15. The blunt distal portion reduces variations in laser energy delivery during initial laser operation, as described in claim 10.

16. A method for transmitting laser energy using medical optical fibers, To prepare a medical optical fiber comprising an optical fiber core surrounded by a jacket, and a protective tip that encapsulates the optical fiber end face at the distal end of the medical optical fiber, The laser energy is transmitted from the laser console through the aforementioned medical optical fiber, A method comprising: crushing, fragmenting, or melting the protective tip in response to the emitted laser energy, thereby opening a passage through the flattened distal end of the protective tip, and enabling the delivery of laser energy to the target tissue or calculus through the optical fiber end face.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the flattened distal end is located between approximately 100 micrometers and 150 micrometers from the end face of the optical fiber.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the opening of the passage occurs at the initial transmission of the laser pulse.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the protective tip absorbs laser energy and is fragmented or melted so as to expose the end face of the optical fiber.

20. The method according to claim 16, wherein the flattened distal end increases the predictability of laser energy delivery compared to a rounded distal tip.

Images