Laser device for treating the uterus of cloven-hoofed domestic animals

Abstract

Laser device for non-invasive treatment of the uterus of cloven-hoofed domestic animals, wherein the device comprises a separate control unit (10) and at least three soft laser units (30, 31, 32, 33) located therein, and a battery power supply (11) connected to the control unit (10) via a cable (12) and supplying power thereto, wherein the laser units (30, 31, 32, 33) each contain a laser light source (34) in front of which a beam expander (35) is located, the control unit (10) has an elongated body (20) in which at least three laser units (30, 31, 32, 33) are located one behind the other, and on the front surface of the body (20), in front of the laser units (30, 31, 32, 33) respective openings (21, 22, 23, 24) are provided, and on a section of the rear surface of the body (20) opposite the aforementioned front surface, there is a curved recess (25) for supporting the finger or fingers of the person using the device, and supports (26, 27) bordering it on both sides and protruding rearward from the recess (25) and the rear surface.

Description

[0001] Laser device for treating the uterus of cloven-hoofed domestic animals and non-invasive treatment procedure using the device

[0002] The invention relates to a laser device for non-invasive irradiation of the uterus of domestic animals with hooves, especially cows, and a non-invasive treatment procedure performed with the device.

[0003] A serious problem in dairy farms is that a significant number of inseminated cows do not become pregnant or suffer pregnancy loss, which not only causes a drop in milk production but also hinders the growth or maintenance of the herd. The causes of this phenomenon have not yet been fully explored, but it is most likely caused by subclinical or chronic inflammation of the uterus.

[0004] The use of soft laser devices is already widespread in human and veterinary medicine, primarily for the treatment of wounds, tendon and cartilage injuries, but no known solution has yet been found to alleviate the problem mentioned here. This is mainly due to the difficulty of accessing the animal's uterus and the lack of devices designed for this purpose. Non-invasive treatments are those that do not cause tissue damage or cell death and do not harm the integrity of the treated animal's body during treatment. Similarly, the term "soft laser" refers to laser treatments that do not cause cell death or damage.

[0005] Publication EP 3,787,724 Bl describes a portable soft laser device with a large irradiation surface, in which four laser light sources are arranged side by side along a circular circumference and together form a circular irradiation area. Each of the four units has a conically widening beam expander in front of a laser light source, and several small deflection lenses arranged in a raster pattern are located on its outer surface, which together distribute the laser light evenly along a circular and conically expanding surface.

[0006] The laser device described here cannot be used on cows because the cow's uterus is located deep inside the body and the penetration depth of the laser light is not sufficient to reach it, especially when considering the significant light-absorbing effect of the animal's thick skin.

[0007] The described limited fertility problem therefore remains, and although antibiotic treatment can help to some extent, long-term antibiotic treatment of livestock is not beneficial, not only because they become resistant over time, but also because antibiotics can appear in milk to some extent, which is contraindicated even at minimal levels.

[0008] The task of the invention is to create a laser device and a non-invasive treatment method using it that can alleviate this problem.

[0009] The problem has been solved with a device that has a separate control unit with at least three laser units, a battery power supply connected to the control unit via a cable , where the laser units are soft laser units with a laser light source, in front of which a beam expander is located, the control unit has an elongated body in which at least three laser units are located one behind the other, and on the front surface of the body, in front of the laser units, there are openings closed with a transparent plate that allows their light to pass through, and on a section of the rear surface of the body opposite the aforementioned front surface, there is a curved recess for supporting the finger or fingers of the person using the device, and on both sides of the recess there are supports that protrude backwards from the recess and the rear surface.

[0010] For even distribution of the laser light, it is advisable to have several deflecting lenses on the outer surface of each beam expander.

[0011] It is also advantageous if the power of the laser light sources is at least 200 mW, with the upper limit being the maximum power corresponding to the soft laser classification, which is around 2000 mW.

[0012] The wavelength range of the laser light sources is between 600 nm and 900 nm, and it is advantageous if the device has four identical laser units with wavelengths between 805 and 815 nm and individual light source powers between 200 and 600 mW.

[0013] It is advantageous if the body is rectangular with rounded edges, has a length of between 110 and 130 mm, a width and height of between 22 and 35 mm, and a length of between 25 and 40 mm for the supports and the recess between them.

[0014] It is desirable that the connecting cable be longer than the distance between the rectum and uterus of the animal to be treated and that the power supply unit includes a switch for supplying power to the treatment unit and an indicator light showing when the unit is switched on.

[0015] With the invention, a non-invasive method has also been provided to facilitate the fertilization of cows using the aforementioned device, in which, prior to the artificial insemination of a cow in a fertile state, the device's control unit is held by an animal keeper wearing light-transmitting protective gloves covering their hands and arms, insert the control unit through the animal's rectum into the uterus at the appropriate depth, and, with the front panel of the control unit facing the uterus, performs laser irradiation for at least three minutes but no more than 10 minutes, while rotating the body of the treatment unit back and forth with the fingers using the supports on its rear surface and the recess between them within an angle range corresponding to the expected width of the uterus, and then repeating the treatment over several days.

[0016] It is advantageous to repeat the treatment once more within the same day.

[0017] The effectiveness of the treatment is improved if it is repeated on the same cow after an unsuccessful first artificial insemination and before the next artificial insemination.

[0018] The pilot experiments described in this description have confirmed that the proposed solution is effective and significantly alleviates the problem described. The invention is described in more detail below with reference to examples based on the drawing. In the drawing:

[0019] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device according to the invention;

[0020] Fig. 2 is a front view showing the structure of the power supply unit 11;

[0021] Fig. 3 is a top view of the control unit 10;

[0022] Fig. 4 is a front view of the control unit 10;

[0023] Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the control 10 unit,

[0024] Fig. 6 is a side view of the control unit 10 as seen from the right;

[0025] Fig. 7 shows a side view of the control unit 10 from the left;

[0026] Fig. 8 shows a front view corresponding to Fig. 4, in which the internal parts are also visible;

[0027] Fig. 9 shows a view similar to Fig. 5, in which the internal parts are also visible; and

[0028] Fig. 10 is an image reflecting the anatomical structure of the cow's internal parts when using the device.

[0029] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the device according to the invention. The device consists of three main parts: a control unit 10, a power supply unit 11 and a connecting cable 12. The design of the power supply unit 12 is shown in the schematic front view in Figure 2. It has a sealed cylindrical casing 13, inside which is located the battery 14 that supplies power to the control unit 10, and is equipped with a push button 15 at its outer end, which, when pressed, switches the power supply to the control unit 10 on and off via the connecting cable 12. The switched-on state is conveniently indicated by an indicator light that slightly illuminates the rear surface of the power supply unit 12, the light of which is visible through the ring-shaped, partially transparent rear end face of the rear cover 16 of the housing 13. In order to charge the battery 14, the cover 16 is detachably connected to the case 13. The connecting cable 12 is connected via a very stable, sealed connection that is resistant to mechanical stress, and therefore there is also a sealed and detachable cover 17 on the front of the case 13.

[0030] The connecting cable 12 has a strong, thick protective sheath, is flexible and can be selected in lengths between 60 and 120 cm according to the needs of the operating personnel, with a length of 80 to 90 cm being advantageous.

[0031] The design of the control unit 10 is shown in five views in Figures 3-7, and its internal layout is shown in Figures 8 and 9. The control unit 10 has a two-part, elongated, roughly rectangular body 20 with rounded edges and four circular openings 21, 22, 23, 24, behind which there are respective laser optical arrangements inside the body 20. This front surface is hereinafter referred to as the front side of the body 20, and the surface opposite it is referred to as the rear side of the body 20. The front section of this rear side, approximately behind the two front circular openings 23, 24, has a special design consisting of a flat curved recess 25 and two supports 26, 27 bordering it laterally. The recess 25 and the two supports 26, 27 form a curved shape that adequately supports the index and / or middle finger of the person (being a veterinarian or animal caretaker) holding the handling unit 10 which the handler uses to sense the direction of the body 20, and with the help of the two side supports 26, 27 can rotate the body 20 around its longitudinal axis in any direction as required, and at the same time, based on the angle of his hand, he knows the main direction of travel of the light rays emitted from the handling unit 10. The two parts 20a, 20b of the body 20 are held together by respective screws 28, 29, the heads of which are shown in Figure 5, and the nuts on them are shown in Figure 3.

[0032] Figures 8 and 9 show the four laser units 30, 31, 32, 33 inside the body 20, which are similar in design to the laser units described in the aforementioned EP 3787742B1 patent. Laser units 30...33 are arranged in a line in front of each other, and each of them contains a respective laser light source 34 drawn in laser unit 30, preferably a laser diode, a conically widening beam expander 35 in front of it, and deflection lenses 36 formed on its front surface. The laser light source 34 is preferably a 500 mW laser diode that emits at a wavelength of 808 nm. The light from the laser light sources that can be used in the laser units 30-33 according to the invention can be in the wavelength range of 600-900 nm, and their power must be at least 200 mW. The upper limit is determined by the dissipation of the generated heat and the non-invasive effect characteristic of soft lasers, and is somewhere around 1500-2000 mW.

[0033] The four laser light sources 30...33 through the four openings 21...24, forming a forwardradiating surface approximately 8-12 cm long and approximately 2.5-3 cm wide, which extends across the upper surface of the body 20, the radiation intensity of which is distributed approximately uniformly across this surface and is suitable for the purpose described below.

[0034] As mentioned above, despite insemination, the number of pregnancies and live births in most dairy farms is unsatisfactory, which is a serious problem. With the device according to the invention and presented here, this problem can be significantly reduced. To do this, the treating veterinarian or specialist staff picks up the device using a transparent protective cover and, applying a suitable lubricating cream, inserts the entire 10 cm of the hand-held control unit into the cow's rectum to a depth where the cow's uterus is located, which is usually between 60 and 80 cm. The handheld unit is directed towards the uterus with its illuminated surface through the rectum while switched on, and then rotated slightly around its axis to irradiate the entire surface of the uterus. The power supply unit 11 at the end of the connecting cable 12 remains outside the animal's body during this process.

[0035] The conditions are illustrated in Figure 10, which is a schematic diagram of the internal anatomy of a cow. The cow's rectum 40 has a thick, flexible wall, and the uterus 41 is located directly next to the rectum 40, which can be easily palpated by the person performing the treatment, who can then turn the treatment unit 10 with its light-emitting surface towards the uterus 41. The penetration depth of the laser beams (depending on the density and nature of the structures in their path) can be estimated at 2-8 cm in the specified infrared range. Through a recess formed on the back of the body 20 and bounded by supports, the operator senses the instantaneous angular position of the body 20 and is able to rotate it around its axis at an angle of up to 20-30° in each direction, thereby irradiating the entire range of the uterus 41. A treatment should last 3-5 minutes and it is recommended to perform it once or twice a day for several days. There are only practical limits to the duration of treatment; it is advantageous to perform the treatment for 2-5 days at the same time each day, during the most suitable period for insemination of the animal, which is, for example, between 21 and 35 days after calving. Below are the results of a pilot experiment conducted for this purpose, in which the treatment unit used in the experiment had a body length of 117 mm, a width of 24 mm, and height of 30 mm, and the supports 26 and 27 had a length of 30 mm and a protrusion height of 3.4 mm. All 34 laser light sources had a power of 500 mW and operated at a wavelength of 808 nm.

[0036] In Table 1 below, between 21 and 30 days after calving, but before the first artificial insemination, rectal soft laser treatment was performed on 45 randomly selected cows from a cattle herd once a day for 5-5 minutes, as described above. 48 control animals were also selected that did not receive laser treatment. In cows that did not become pregnant after each experiment, a second artificial insemination was performed after approximately 30-30 days, and where there was no pregnancy, a third artificial insemination was performed, then the number of successful pregnancies in the irradiated and control groups were counted and compared this to the number of animals in the selected group. The lower this number, the higher the pregnancy rate per cow. Together with the control group, a total of 93 cows were included in the study.

[0037] 1. Table

[0038] It should be noted that in one case, the pregnancy diagnosis was incorrect, so this cow was artificially inseminated a second time, and in some cases, the condition of the cows did not allow for a second or third insemination, so they were removed from the experiment. The table therefore shows the actual number of animals participating in the experiment. The data already show that 2.6 inseminations were required to achieve 1 pregnancy in laser-treated cows, while 3.3 inseminations were required to achieve 1 pregnancy in the control group.

[0039] This approximately 30% higher rate is of great significance from both a financial and animal health perspective. It can be assumed that even more favorable results could be achieved by further optimizing the treatment conditions (by increasing the duration and frequency of treatments). During the experiments, it was found that the cows tolerated the treatment well.

[0040] Although the experiments were conducted on cows, it can be assumed that the effect and treatment option described here apply to all large domestic ungulates. Among these animals, cattle and horses are of particular importance. Laser treatment is not only beneficial for fertilization, but also for the treatment of uterine infections and other conditions that respond to laser treatment.

Claims

Claims1. Laser device for non-invasive treatment of the uterus of cloven-hoofed domestic animals, characterized in that it comprises a separate control unit (10) and at least three soft laser units (30, 31, 32, 33) located therein, and a battery power supply (11) connected to the control unit (10) via a cable (12) and supplying power thereto, wherein the laser units (30, 31, 32, 33) each contain a laser light source (34) in front of which a beam expander (35) is located, the control unit (10) has an elongated body (20) in which at least three laser units (30, 31, 32, 33) are located one behind the other, and on the front surface of the body (20), in front of the laser units (30, 31, 32, 33) respective openings (21, 22, 23, 24) are provided, and on a section of the rear surface of the body (20) opposite the aforementioned front surface, there is a curved recess (25) for supporting the finger or fingers of the person using the device, and supports (26, 27) bordering it on both sides and protruding rearward from the recess (25) and the rear surface.

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of deflecting lenses (36) are located on the outer surface of each beam expander.

3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the power of the laser light sources (34) is at least 200 mW.

4. A device according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the wavelength range of the light from the laser light sources (34) is between 600 nm and 900 nm.

5. A device according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that there are four identical laser units (30, 31, 32, 33) with a wavelength between 600 and 900 nm and an individual power of the light sources between 200 and 600 mW.

6. A device according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it has a rectangular body (20) with rounded edges, the length of which is between 110 and 130 mm, the width and height of which are between 22 and 35 mm, and the supports (26, 27) and the recess between them are between 25 and 40 mm long.

7. The device according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the length of the connecting cable (12) is greater than the distance between the rectum and the uterus of the animal to be treated, and the power supply unit (11) has a switch for supplying power to the control unit (10) and an indicator light showing the switched-on state.

8. A non-invasive method for facilitating the insemination of cows using a device according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, prior to the artificial insemination of a cow in a receptive state, the operating unit (10) of the device is held in the hand by an animal keeper, wearing lighttransmitting protective gloves covering their hands and arms, inserts the control unit (10) throughthe animal's rectum into the uterus at the appropriate depth, and, with the front panel of the control unit (10) facing the uterus, laser irradiation is performed for at least three minutes but no more than 10 minutes, while rotating the body (20) of the treatment unit (10) back and forth with fingers within the angle range corresponding to the expected width of the uterus, using the supports (26, 27) on its rear surface and the recess (25) between them, and then repeating the treatment over several days.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the treatment is repeated once within a day.

10. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the treatment is repeated on the same cow after an unsuccessful first artificial insemination and before the next artificial insemination.

Images