Optical fiber for laser ablation and laser ablation system

Abstract

Disclosed in the present invention are an optical fiber for laser ablation and a laser ablation system. The optical fiber comprises: an optical fiber body having a light emitting portion, and the light emitting portion is close to one end of the optical fiber body. The light emitting portion comprises a plurality of regions. At least two of the plurality of regions are configured to emit light of different wavelengths, and / or the plurality of regions comprise a non-light emitting region, so that the light emitting portion can achieve segmented light emission in at least one direction along the optical fiber body. The optical fiber of the present invention can achieve segmented light emission, thereby achieving energy dispersion to effectively avoid the scorching phenomenon caused by energy concentration.

Description

Fiber optics and laser ablation systems for laser ablation Cross-references to related applications

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application filed on October 17, 2024, with application number 202411459691.1 and entitled "Fiber Optic for Laser Ablation and Laser Ablation System". Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure generally relates to the field of medical device technology. More specifically, this disclosure relates to an optical fiber and a laser ablation system for laser ablation. Background Technology

[0003] Laser ablation is a novel tumor treatment technique that uses optical fibers to deliver light energy into the human body, causing local biological tissue to coagulate and die upon heating. It can remove tumors or lesions in situ with minimal invasiveness. Compared to traditional surgical resection, this method has advantages such as shorter operation time, smaller surgical trauma, less bleeding, less pain for the patient, better postoperative recovery, and certain anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects. It shows great promise in disease treatment, especially in tumor research, and is currently used to treat many types of tumors, such as those in the liver, brain, breast, and retina.

[0004] Current ablation fibers typically have a single, continuous light-emitting section. For example, as shown in Figure 1, the ablation fiber 100 has a single, continuous light-emitting section 110 for emitting continuous energy light, and it can only emit light of one wavelength. However, as can be seen from the energy distribution 120 in the figure, the continuous emission of the same wavelength by a single continuous light-emitting section 110 causes energy concentration in the central region of the light-emitting section 110, resulting in a higher central temperature and thus posing a risk of charring surrounding tissues during the ablation process.

[0005] In view of this, there is an urgent need to provide a new type of optical fiber for laser ablation in order to effectively avoid the risks of energy concentration and charring. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In order to at least address one or more of the technical problems mentioned above, this disclosure proposes fiber optic and laser ablation system solutions for laser ablation in several aspects.

[0007] In a first aspect, this disclosure provides an optical fiber for laser ablation, comprising: an optical fiber body having a light-emitting portion near one end of the optical fiber body; wherein the light-emitting portion includes a plurality of regions, at least two of the plurality of regions being used to emit light of different wavelengths, and / or the plurality of regions including a non-light-emitting region, such that the light-emitting portion can emit light in sections along at least one direction along the optical fiber body.

[0008] In some embodiments, the light-emitting portion includes a first region and a second region, wherein the first region and the second region are used to emit light of different wavelengths; or the first region is a light-emitting region and the second region is a non-light-emitting region; the first region is separated by the second region in at least one direction along the optical fiber body, such that the light-emitting portion can emit light in sections in the at least one direction.

[0009] In other embodiments, the wavelength of the light emitted from the second region is shorter than the wavelength of the light emitted from the first region.

[0010] In some embodiments, the first region is divided into a plurality of light-emitting segments by the second region along at least the axial direction and / or the circumferential direction of the optical fiber body.

[0011] In other embodiments, at least two of the plurality of light-emitting segments are used to emit light of different wavelengths.

[0012] In some other embodiments, the first region is divided into multiple light-emitting segments by the second region along the axial direction of the optical fiber body, wherein two adjacent light-emitting segments are used to emit light of different wavelengths.

[0013] In some embodiments, the first region is divided into a plurality of light-emitting segments by the second region along the circumferential direction of the optical fiber body, and the plurality of light-emitting segments are symmetrically or uniformly distributed with respect to the central axis of the optical fiber body.

[0014] In other embodiments, the plurality of light-emitting segments are symmetrically distributed about the center, wherein at least one pair of mutually symmetrical light-emitting segments are used to emit light of different wavelengths.

[0015] In some other embodiments, the first region is divided into a plurality of light-emitting segments by the second region along the axial and circumferential directions of the optical fiber body, wherein a portion of the plurality of light-emitting segments are distributed along the circumferential direction and another portion of the plurality of light-emitting segments are distributed along the axial direction.

[0016] In some embodiments, at least one of the plurality of light-emitting segments includes a plurality of light-emitting blocks, which are arranged in an array.

[0017] In other embodiments, at least two of the plurality of light-emitting blocks are used to emit light of different wavelengths.

[0018] In some other embodiments, at least one of the plurality of light-emitting segments has a gradient transmittance for emitting light of a gradient wavelength.

[0019] In some embodiments, the plurality of regions have varying transmittance, such that the plurality of regions are used to emit light of varying wavelengths.

[0020] In some embodiments, at least two of the plurality of light-emitting segments have different light-emitting shapes, including emitted diffuse light, side-emitting light, or ring light.

[0021] In some other embodiments, at least two of the plurality of regions have different light emission shapes, including emitted diffuse light, side-emitting light, or ring light.

[0022] In other embodiments, at least a portion of the first region is spirally wrapped around the optical fiber body, and the second region is formed between the spiral first regions.

[0023] In some other embodiments, the spiral-shaped first region has a gradually increasing transmittance along its spiral extension direction to emit light of varying wavelengths.

[0024] In some embodiments, at least two of the plurality of regions are used to emit light with a wavelength of 980 nm and light with a wavelength of 1064 nm, respectively.

[0025] In a second aspect, this disclosure provides a laser ablation system comprising an optical fiber as described in any of the first aspects of this disclosure.

[0026] In the fiber optic solution for laser ablation provided above, the disclosed embodiment sets the light-emitting part to include multiple regions, so that the light-emitting part can emit light in a regional manner in at least one direction along the fiber body, thereby achieving energy dispersion and effectively avoiding energy concentration that would prevent the desired ablation effect from being achieved. Attached Figure Description

[0027] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of exemplary embodiments of this disclosure will become readily apparent upon reading the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, several embodiments of this disclosure are illustrated by way of example and not limitation, and like or corresponding reference numerals denote like or corresponding parts, wherein:

[0028] Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of an ablation fiber with a continuous light-emitting section;

[0029] Figures 2a-2d illustrate schematic diagrams of optical fibers for laser ablation according to various embodiments of this disclosure;

[0030] Figures 3a-3c show schematic diagrams of optical fibers including multiple output segments according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0031] Figure 3d shows a schematic diagram of a scenario where optical fiber is used to ablate irregular lesions according to an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0032] Figure 4a shows a schematic diagram of an optical fiber with multiple light-emitting segments divided in the circumferential direction along the optical fiber body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] Figure 4b shows a schematic diagram of an application scenario for the optical fiber shown in Figure 4a;

[0034] Figure 4c shows a schematic diagram of an optical fiber with multiple light-emitting segments symmetrically distributed along the circumferential direction of the optical fiber body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] Figure 4d shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the optical fiber shown in Figure 4c;

[0036] Figure 4e shows a schematic diagram of an optical fiber with multiple light-emitting segments uniformly distributed along the circumferential direction of the optical fiber body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] Figure 4f shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the optical fiber shown in Figure 4e;

[0038] Figure 5a shows a schematic diagram of an optical fiber with multiple light-emitting segments divided along the circumferential and axial directions of the optical fiber body, according to some embodiments of this disclosure.

[0039] Figure 5b shows a schematic diagram of an optical fiber with multiple light-emitting segments divided along the circumferential and axial directions of the optical fiber body, according to some other embodiments of this disclosure.

[0040] Figure 6a shows a schematic diagram of an optical fiber including multiple light output blocks according to some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0041] Figure 6b shows a schematic diagram of an optical fiber including multiple light output blocks according to other embodiments of this disclosure;

[0042] Figure 7a shows a schematic diagram of an optical fiber in a spiral shape in the first region according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0043] Figure 7b shows a schematic diagram of an optical fiber with a gradually changing pitch in a spiral first region according to an embodiment of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0044] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this disclosure, not all of them. Based on the embodiments in this disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0045] It should be understood that the terms “comprising” and “including” used in this disclosure and claims indicate the presence of the described features, integrals, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components and / or collections thereof.

[0046] It should also be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. As used in this disclosure and claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used in this disclosure and claims refers to any combination and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items, and includes such combinations.

[0047] As used in this specification and claims, the term "if" may be interpreted, depending on the context, as "when," "once," "in response to determination," or "in response to detection." Similarly, the phrase "if determined" or "if [described condition or event] is detected" may be interpreted, depending on the context, as "once determined," "in response to determination," "once [described condition or event] is detected," or "in response to detection of [described condition or event]."

[0048] In the description of this disclosure, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this disclosure and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this disclosure.

[0049] The specific embodiments disclosed herein will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0050] Figures 2a-2d illustrate schematic diagrams of optical fibers for laser ablation according to various embodiments of this disclosure. Figure 2a shows a schematic diagram of an optical fiber including multiple regions according to some embodiments of this disclosure. Figure 2b shows a schematic diagram of an optical fiber including non-light-emitting regions according to some embodiments of this disclosure. Figure 2c shows a schematic diagram of an optical fiber in some embodiments of this disclosure where a first region is separated by a second region. Figure 2d shows a schematic diagram of an optical fiber including multiple light-emitting regions according to other embodiments of this disclosure.

[0051] As shown in Figures 2a-2d, the optical fiber 200 for laser ablation may include an optical fiber body 210 having a light-emitting portion 220 located near one end of the optical fiber body 210. In some embodiments, the optical fiber body 210 may include a core and a cladding, wherein the cladding covers the outer surface of the core. The light-emitting portion 220 can emit light by, for example, etching the cladding, doping the cladding with a dispersing agent, or removing the cladding and coating the outer surface of the core at the location of the light-emitting portion. The light-emitting portion 220 is typically located near the end of the optical fiber body 210 used for insertion into the lesion to perform ablation. "Near one end of the optical fiber body 210" means that, relative to the other end of the optical fiber body used for connection to the laser, the light-emitting portion 220 is closer to the end used for ablation. In other embodiments, the end of the light-emitting portion 220 near the optical fiber body 210 may include an end that covers that end, or an end that does not cover that end.

[0052] As shown in Figure 2a, the light-emitting section 220 may include multiple regions, at least two of which can be used to emit light of different wavelengths. For example, the light-emitting section 220 shown in Figure 2a may include a first region 221, a second region 222, and a third region 223, wherein, for example, the first region 221 and the second region 222 can be used to emit light of different wavelengths; the third region 223 can be used to emit light of a wavelength different from both the first region 221 and the second region 222, or light of the same wavelength as one of the first region 221 and the second region 222. The length, area, shape, etc., of the multiple regions can be set to be the same or different. The multiple regions can be spaced apart or not spaced apart.

[0053] Multiple regions in the light-emitting section 220 can be distributed along at least one direction of the optical fiber body 210, thereby enabling the light-emitting section 220 to emit light in sections along at least one direction of the optical fiber body 210. In some embodiments, at least one direction of the optical fiber body 210 may include at least one of the axial direction A, radial direction, and circumferential direction of the optical fiber body 210. For example, the first region 221, the second region 222, and the third region 223 shown in FIG. 2a can be distributed along the axial direction A of the optical fiber body 210, enabling the light-emitting section 220 to emit light in sections along the axial direction A. This sectioned light emission can be achieved by emitting light of multiple wavelengths in sections. In other embodiments, multiple regions can be distributed along the axial direction and / or the circumferential direction of the optical fiber body 210.

[0054] In other embodiments, multiple regions may have gradually varying transmittance, enabling them to emit light of varying wavelengths. That is, each pair of adjacent regions emits light of different wavelengths, and the transmittance of the multiple regions exhibits a gradually changing trend along at least one direction (e.g., gradually increasing, gradually decreasing, gradually increasing and then decreasing, or gradually decreasing and then increasing), thereby achieving the effect of the light-emitting section 220 emitting light of varying wavelengths. Taking the optical fiber 200 shown in FIG. 2a as an example, the transmittance of the first region 221, the second region 222, and the third region 223 can gradually increase or gradually decrease; or the transmittance of the second region 222 may be greater than that of the first region 221 and the third region 223, or the transmittance of the second region 222 may be less than that of the first region 221 and the third region 223. When the first region 221, the second region 222, and the third region 223 are adjacent, continuously varying wavelengths of light can be emitted. By setting multiple regions to emit light with gradually varying wavelengths (or bands), a gradual distribution of energy in the light-emitting part can be achieved, which is beneficial for ablation of atypical lesions.

[0055] In some other embodiments, at least two of the multiple regions may have different light emission shapes, which may include emitted light such as diffused light, side-emitting light, or ring light. For example, taking the optical fiber shown in Figure 2a as an example, the first region 221 may be configured to emit ring light, the second region 222 may be configured to emit side-emitting light, and the third region 223 may be configured to emit diffused light. By individually configuring each region in this disclosed embodiment, different functions can be integrated into the same optical fiber to make it suitable for more application scenarios.

[0056] The optical fiber shown in Figure 2b differs from that shown in Figure 2a in that, in the multiple regions of the light-emitting section 220 shown in Figure 2b, the second region 222 can be a non-light-emitting region, while the first region 221 and the third region 223 can be used to emit light of the same or different wavelengths. In other words, the first region 221 and the third region 223 can be arranged alternately. It can be seen that when the multiple regions of the light-emitting section 220 include non-light-emitting regions, the light-emitting section 220 can achieve regional light emission by emitting light at intervals in at least one direction along the optical fiber body.

[0057] As shown in FIG2c, the light-emitting portion 220 of the optical fiber 200 for laser ablation may include a first region 221 and a second region 222, wherein the first region 221 and the second region 222 may be used to emit light of different wavelengths; or the first region 221 may be the light-emitting region and the second region 222 may be the non-light-emitting region. As further shown in FIG2c, the first region 221 may be separated by the second region 222 in at least one direction along the optical fiber body 210, such that the light-emitting portion 220 can emit light in sections in at least one direction. In some embodiments, the wavelength of the light emitted from the second region 222 may be smaller than the wavelength of the light emitted from the first region 221.

[0058] The non-emitting region mentioned above refers to the region where no light is emitted, which can be continuous or discontinuous; the emitting region refers to the region used to emit light (or light energy), which can be continuous or discontinuous. Here, continuous means uninterrupted, and discontinuous means intermittent. For example, taking the first region 221 as discontinuous as an example, that is, the first region 221 can include multiple discontinuous sub-regions. Regardless of whether the first region 221 is continuous or discontinuous, and regardless of whether the second region 222 is a non-emitting region, in at least one direction along the fiber body 210, since the first region 221 is separated by the second region 222, the emitting part 220 can achieve regional light emission by emitting light at intervals and / or emitting light of different wavelengths in at least one direction.

[0059] In other embodiments, the light-emitting portion 220 can emit light in regions in at least one direction, which may be in the direction in which the first region 221 is divided by the second region 222. In this at least one direction, the sub-regions into which the first region 221 is divided by the second region 222 may have the same or different sizes.

[0060] Specifically, as shown in FIG2c, along the axial direction A of the fiber body 210, the first region 221 is divided by the second region 222, which can be divided into, for example, a first light-emitting segment 2211 and a second light-emitting segment 2212 as shown in the figure. The first light-emitting segment and the second light-emitting segment can be regarded as two sub-regions. The lengths of the first light-emitting segment 2211 and the second light-emitting segment 2212 (i.e., the extension length along the axial direction A) can be the same or different. In some embodiments, the first light-emitting segment 2211 and the second light-emitting segment 2212 can both surround the fiber body 210, so that their cross-sections are both annular; or they can surround the fiber body 210 less than once, so that their cross-sections are both arc-shaped. In other embodiments, the first light-emitting segment 2211 and the second light-emitting segment 2212 can be used to emit light of the same wavelength or to emit light of different wavelengths. The first light-emitting segment 2211 and the second light-emitting segment 2212 can emit light simultaneously or not simultaneously.

[0061] The wavelength range of light emitted by the light-emitting section 220 can be achieved by setting its transmittance. For example, in some embodiments, the first light-emitting section 2211 and the second light-emitting section 2212 can both be used to emit light with a wavelength of 980 nm, or both can be used to emit light with a wavelength of 1064 nm. In other embodiments, one of the first light-emitting section 2211 and the second light-emitting section 2212 can be used to emit light with a wavelength of 980 nm, and the other can be used to emit light with a wavelength of 1064 nm. In still other embodiments, the second region 222 can emit light with a wavelength much smaller than that of the first region 221, such as light with a wavelength less than 355 nm, or light with a wavelength less than 100 nm.

[0062] Furthermore, as shown in FIG2d, unlike the optical fiber shown in FIG2c, the light-emitting portion 220 of the optical fiber 200 shown in FIG2d may further include a third region 223, which may be another light-emitting region. In some embodiments, the third region 223 may be adjacent to the first region 221 and may be used to emit light of the same or different wavelength as the first region 221. In still some embodiments, the second region 222 is used to emit light of a different wavelength than the first region 221, and the third region 223 may be used to emit light of the same or different wavelength as the second region 222.

[0063] The optical fiber for laser ablation according to embodiments of the present disclosure has been described above with reference to Figures 2a-2d. It is understood that by setting the light-emitting portion of the optical fiber into multiple regions for emitting light of different wavelengths and / or emitting light at intervals, the light-emitting portion can emit light in different regions, effectively dispersing the emitted light energy, reducing energy density, and avoiding the problem of concentrated central temperature energy caused by traditional single-wavelength large-area light emission. This significantly reduces the risk of tissue charring that may be caused by localized high temperatures. Furthermore, when different wavelengths of laser light are needed to ablate irregularly shaped lesions, if an optical fiber emitting a single wavelength is used, multiple switching operations between optical fibers (i.e., multiple insertion and removal operations) are required. However, using the optical fiber of the present disclosure embodiment allows the same optical fiber to emit light of different wavelengths, effectively reducing the number of insertion and removal operations during the ablation procedure, thereby greatly improving the convenience and safety of the ablation procedure.

[0064] It is also understood that, as can be seen from Figures 2b-2d above, when multiple regions of the light-emitting section include non-light-emitting regions, the non-light-emitting regions can be located between different light-emitting regions or within a single light-emitting region, in order to separate that single light-emitting region. Furthermore, the optical fibers shown in Figures 2a-2d are exemplary and not limiting. For example, the number of multiple regions is not limited to the two or three shown in the figures, and can be set to more as needed. The number of light-emitting segments in a region is not limited to the two shown in the figures, and can be set to more as needed. An exemplary description will follow with reference to Figures 3a-3d.

[0065] Figures 3a-3c show schematic diagrams of optical fibers including multiple output segments according to various embodiments of the present disclosure; wherein, Figure 3a shows a schematic diagram of an optical fiber including multiple output segments of equal length according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 3b shows a schematic diagram of an optical fiber with output segments covering the ends of the optical fiber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 3c shows a schematic diagram of an optical fiber including multiple output segments of unequal length according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0066] As shown in Figure 3a, along the axial direction A of the fiber body 210, the first region 221 can be divided into multiple light-emitting segments by the second region 222, such as the first light-emitting segment 2211, the second light-emitting segment 2212, the third light-emitting segment 2213, and the fourth light-emitting segment 2214 shown in the figure. In some embodiments, the lengths of the first light-emitting segment 2211, the second light-emitting segment 2212, the third light-emitting segment 2213, and the fourth light-emitting segment 2214 can be the same, and the spacing between adjacent light-emitting segments can be the same or different.

[0067] In other embodiments, at least two of the multiple light-emitting segments can be used to emit light of different wavelengths. For example, as shown in Figure 3a, the first light-emitting segment 2211 and the second light-emitting segment 2212 can be used to emit light of different wavelengths, while the third light-emitting segment 2213 and the fourth light-emitting segment 2214 can be used to emit light of the same wavelength as the first light-emitting segment 2211. Alternatively, the first light-emitting segment 2211, the second light-emitting segment 2212, and the third light-emitting segment 2213 can be used to emit light of three different wavelengths, while the fourth light-emitting segment 2214 can be used to emit light of the same wavelength as one of the three. Yet another example is that the first light-emitting segment 2211, the second light-emitting segment 2212, the third light-emitting segment 2213, and the fourth light-emitting segment 2214 can be used to emit light of four different wavelengths.

[0068] In some other embodiments, two adjacent light-emitting segments can be used to emit light of different wavelengths. Here, "adjacent" can refer to two adjacent light-emitting segments within the first region 221. For example, the first light-emitting segment 2211 and the third light-emitting segment 2213 shown in FIG. 3a can be used to emit light of a first wavelength, while the second light-emitting segment 2212 and the fourth light-emitting segment 2214 can be used to emit light of a second wavelength, where the first and second wavelengths are different. With this arrangement, sequential light emission can be achieved. For example, the first light-emitting segment 2211 and the third light-emitting segment 2213 emit light of the first wavelength for the first time, while the second light-emitting segment 2212 and the fourth light-emitting segment 2214 do not emit light; the second light-emitting segment 2212 and the fourth light-emitting segment 2214 emit light of the second wavelength for the second time, while the first light-emitting segment 2211 and the third light-emitting segment 2213 do not emit light.

[0069] In some embodiments, the emission wavelengths and emission order of multiple emission segments can be set according to the size, shape, properties, characteristics, etc. of the lesion to achieve conformal ablation of the lesion. For ease of understanding, an exemplary description will be given here with reference to Figure 3d. Figure 3d shows a schematic diagram of a scenario where optical fiber is used to ablate irregular lesions according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 3d, the area at both ends of the irregular lesion 301 is larger than the area in the middle region. For example, the optical fiber shown in Figure 3a can be used to ablate the irregular lesion 301. By setting the first emission segment 2211 and the fourth emission segment 2214 to emit light with a larger wavelength, and setting the second emission segment 2212 and the third emission segment 2213 to emit light with a smaller wavelength, the light emitted from the emission segments at both ends can ablate a larger area of ​​the lesion, while the light emitted from the emission segment in the middle can be used to ablate a smaller area of ​​the lesion, thereby achieving ablation of the irregular lesion 301.

[0070] It is also worth noting that this disclosure can successfully eliminate the cooling step during laser ablation by employing sequential light emission technology. This not only completely avoids the need for a cooling device but also significantly reduces the size of the fiber optic conduit by eliminating the need for a cooling channel, making the surgery more minimally invasive. This method makes it possible to efficiently complete ablation tasks without cooling. In specific implementation, the first light emission segment 2211 and the third light emission segment 2213 can be emitted first, followed by the second light emission segment 2212 and the fourth light emission segment 2214, and this sequence can be repeated. With this ordered light emission strategy with time differences, excessively high laser energy at the same location can be effectively avoided, ensuring the safety and efficiency of the ablation process.

[0071] In other embodiments, multiple light-emitting segments can be used to simultaneously emit light of different wavelengths. It is understood that the simultaneous or sequential emission of different wavelengths from multiple light-emitting segments can be achieved by setting the transmittance of each segment. The ratio of the radiant energy projected onto and transmitted through an object to the total radiant energy projected onto the object is called the transmittance of that object. In the embodiments disclosed herein, the fiber core can transmit laser beams of multiple wavelengths by coating different light-emitting segments with coatings of different transmittances, doping the cladding of different light-emitting segments with different types or densities of media, or etching the cladding of different light-emitting segments to different degrees. The different wavelengths of light are emitted from light-emitting segments with different transmittances, thereby achieving the effect of multiple light-emitting segments simultaneously emitting light of different wavelengths.

[0072] Similarly, the above-described sequential light emission method can also be achieved by setting the transmittance of the light emission segments at corresponding positions. When light of the first wavelength is transmitted in the fiber core, the first light emission segment 2211 and the third light emission segment 2213 emit light of the first wavelength, while the second light emission segment 2212 and the fourth light emission segment 2214 cannot transmit light of the first wavelength and therefore do not emit light. When light of the second wavelength is transmitted in the fiber core, the second light emission segment 2212 and the fourth light emission segment 2214 emit light of the second wavelength, while the first light emission segment 2211 and the third light emission segment 2213 cannot transmit light of the second wavelength and therefore do not emit light.

[0073] In some embodiments, at least one of the multiple light-emitting segments can have a gradually varying transmittance to emit light of varying wavelengths. The gradually varying transmittance can also be achieved by coating with a gradually varying layer or by cladding with different types or densities of media, thereby achieving the purpose of emitting light of varying wavelengths; this will not be elaborated further here. In this embodiment, the gradual variation can be at least one of the following: gradually increasing, gradually decreasing, gradually increasing and then decreasing, or gradually decreasing and then increasing. By setting the light-emitting segment to emit light of varying wavelengths (or bands), a gradual distribution of energy in that segment can be achieved, which is also beneficial for ablation of atypical lesions.

[0074] In some embodiments, at least two of the multiple output segments may have different output shapes, which may include emitted diffuse light, side-emitting light, or ring light. For example, taking the optical fiber shown in Figure 3a as an example, the first output segment 2211 may be configured to emit ring light, the second output segment 2212 may be configured to emit side-emitting light, and the third and fourth output segments 2213 and 2214 may be configured to emit diffuse light. Since the first region in this embodiment can be divided into multiple output segments, different functions can be integrated into the same optical fiber by configuring each output segment individually, making it suitable for more application scenarios.

[0075] Figure 3a further illustrates the energy distribution 120 during optical fiber emission. As can be seen from the energy distribution 120 in Figure 3a, dividing the first region 211 into multiple segments for separate light emission allows for effective energy distribution, avoiding temperature superposition and excessively high central temperatures caused by concentrated energy density. This allows for better control of energy output and reduces the total energy required for the ablation process. The reduction in total energy can extend the ablation time, thereby facilitating a wider ablation range and enabling one-time ablation of larger lesions. Furthermore, for the same ablation range, compared to the ablation fiber shown in Figure 1, the optical fiber of this embodiment requires less total energy for ablation, which helps reduce energy consumption and achieve energy-saving effects.

[0076] The difference between the optical fiber shown in Figure 3b and the optical fiber shown in Figure 3a is that the fourth light-emitting segment 2214 in Figure 3b can be located at the end of the optical fiber body 210, that is, it can cover the end of the optical fiber body 210 to achieve light emission at the end. The difference between the optical fiber shown in Figure 3c and the optical fiber shown in Figure 3a is that the multiple light-emitting segments in Figure 3c have unequal lengths; for example, the second light-emitting segment 2212 is longer, while the first light-emitting segment 2211 and the third light-emitting segment 2213 are shorter. It can also be seen from Figures 3a-3c that the spacing between adjacent light-emitting segments can be the same or different.

[0077] The foregoing description, in conjunction with Figures 3a-3d, illustrates an optical fiber with multiple output segments divided along the axial direction of its body according to embodiments of the present disclosure. It is understood that the above description is exemplary and not limiting. For example, the number of output segments may not be limited to the four shown in the figures, and may be more or less as needed. Furthermore, the multiple output segments may not be limited to the axial direction of the optical fiber body; they may also be divided along other directions of the optical fiber body. The following will provide an exemplary description in conjunction with Figures 4a-4f.

[0078] Figure 4a shows a schematic diagram of an optical fiber divided into multiple light-emitting segments along the circumferential direction of the optical fiber body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 4a, along the circumferential direction C of the optical fiber body 210, a first region can be divided into multiple light-emitting segments by a second region 222, such as the first light-emitting segment 2211 and the second light-emitting segment 2212 shown in the figure. In some embodiments, the first region is divided into multiple light-emitting segments along the circumferential direction C (i.e., the circumferential direction) of the optical fiber body 210, wherein the cross-section of each light-emitting segment can be arc-shaped.

[0079] This setup helps reduce the difficulty of surgical punctures and allows for directional light emission. For clarity, further explanation is provided below with reference to Figure 4b. Figure 4b illustrates an application scenario of the optical fiber shown in Figure 4a.

[0080] As shown in Figure 4b, in some application scenarios, such as when the lesion tissue is in a complex brain region, the surgical path may not be able to pass through the center of the lesion region 402, or due to actual operational errors, the actual puncture path may deviate from the center of the lesion region 402. In this case, if an optical fiber, such as the one shown in Figure 4a, is used, an appropriate wavelength of light can be selected for conformal ablation based on the distance from the optical fiber to the safe ablation area 401 of the lesion. Specifically, as shown in Figure 4b, the insertion position of the optical fiber is relatively close to the lower part of the lesion region 402, thus being closer to the lower edge of the safe area 401 and farther from the upper edge of the safe area 401. In this case, a smaller wavelength of light can be emitted from the second light-emitting segment 2212 near the lower edge of the safe area 401, and a larger wavelength of light can be emitted from the first light-emitting segment 2211 towards the upper edge of the safe area 401, so that both smaller and larger lesion areas can be ablated simultaneously.

[0081] In some other embodiments, assuming that the wavelength of the emitted light from the first light-emitting segment 2211 in the figure is pre-set to be smaller than the wavelength of the emitted light from the second light-emitting segment 2212, after determining the distance between the optical fiber and the safe area 401 during the operation, the optical fiber can be rotated so that the second light-emitting segment 2212, which can emit a larger wavelength of light, faces upward (i.e., towards the side farther from the edge of the safe area 401), and the first light-emitting segment 2211, which can emit a smaller wavelength of light, faces downward (i.e., towards the side closer to the edge of the safe area 401), so as to achieve the purpose of direction-selective light emission, thereby achieving the effect that the above-mentioned surgical path can still be ablated even if it deviates from the center of the lesion area.

[0082] Therefore, in this embodiment, the first region is divided into multiple light-emitting segments along the circumferential direction C of the optical fiber body 210, and at least two of the multiple light-emitting segments are used to emit light of different wavelengths. This can be used to solve the ablation problem when the surgical path is offset from the center of the lesion. It eliminates the need for re-puncture to correct the surgical path and avoids the risk of large lesion areas not being ablated simultaneously due to offset, or the risk of over-ablation or charring of small lesion areas.

[0083] Figure 4c shows a schematic diagram of an optical fiber with multiple light-emitting segments symmetrically distributed along the circumferential direction of the optical fiber body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 4d shows a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the optical fiber shown in Figure 4c. As shown in Figures 4c and 4d, along the circumferential direction C of the optical fiber body 210, a first region can be divided into multiple light-emitting segments by a second region 222, such as the first light-emitting segment 2211, the second light-emitting segment 2212, the third light-emitting segment 2213, and the fourth light-emitting segment 2214 shown in the figure. These multiple light-emitting segments can be symmetrically distributed with respect to the central axis of the optical fiber body 210 (i.e., the axis passing through the center of the optical fiber cross-section). Symmetrical distribution means that when one of the two light-emitting segments is rotated 180 degrees around the center, it can completely coincide with the other of the two light-emitting segments.

[0084] In some embodiments, at least one pair of mutually symmetrical light-emitting segments among a plurality of light-emitting segments can be used to emit light of different wavelengths. For example, in some embodiments, the first light-emitting segment 2211 and the second light-emitting segment 2212 can be used to emit light of different wavelengths; the third light-emitting segment 2213 and the fourth light-emitting segment 2214 can be used to emit light of the same wavelength, and may have the same or different wavelengths as the light emitted by the first light-emitting segment 2211 or the second light-emitting segment 2212. In other embodiments, the symmetrical first light-emitting segment 2211 and the second light-emitting segment 2212 are used to emit light of different wavelengths; and the symmetrical third light-emitting segment 2213 and the fourth light-emitting segment 2214 are also used to emit light of different wavelengths.

[0085] In the above embodiments, by setting each pair of light-emitting segments in at least two pairs of mutually symmetrical light-emitting segments to emit light of different wavelengths, it is possible not only to solve the ablation problem when the surgical path is offset from the center of the lesion area in one direction (e.g., the vertical direction), but also to solve the ablation problem when the surgical path is offset from the center of the lesion area in at least two directions.

[0086] Figure 4e shows a schematic diagram of an optical fiber with multiple light-emitting segments uniformly distributed along the circumferential direction of the optical fiber body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 4f shows a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the optical fiber shown in Figure 4e. As shown in Figures 4e and 4f, along the circumferential direction C of the optical fiber body 210, a first region can be divided into multiple light-emitting segments by a second region 222, such as the first light-emitting segment 2211, the second light-emitting segment 2212, and the third light-emitting segment 2213 shown in the figure. These multiple light-emitting segments can be uniformly distributed around the central axis of the optical fiber body 210. Uniform distribution means that the spacing between any two adjacent light-emitting segments is the same. The multiple light-emitting segments can be used to emit light of the same wavelength, or at least two of the light-emitting segments can be used to emit light of different wavelengths. Since the uniformly distributed multiple light-emitting segments also face different directions, they can also be used for ablation of atypical lesions or surgical paths that deviate from the center of the lesion.

[0087] The above description, in conjunction with Figures 4a-4f, provides an exemplary description of an optical fiber comprising multiple light-emitting segments distributed along the circumferential direction of the optical fiber body. It can be understood that when multiple regions of the light-emitting section are distributed along the circumferential direction of the optical fiber body, and at least two of the multiple regions are used to emit light of different wavelengths, a similar technical effect to the above-mentioned circumferential distribution of multiple light-emitting segments can be achieved regardless of whether there are non-light-emitting regions in the multiple regions. This will not be elaborated further here.

[0088] It is also understood that the above description is exemplary and not restrictive. For example, the number of light-emitting segments obtained by dividing along the circumferential direction of the optical fiber body is not limited to the two, three, or four shown in the figure, and can be set to more as needed. Furthermore, the multiple light-emitting segments are not limited to the uniform or symmetrical distribution described above, and can be set to other regular or irregular distribution patterns as needed. The sizes of the multiple light-emitting segments can also be set to be the same or different as needed. Moreover, the optical fiber of this disclosed embodiment is not limited to being divided into multiple light-emitting segments only in the circumferential or axial direction as described above, and can also be divided in at least two directions. An exemplary description will be given below with reference to Figures 5a and 5b.

[0089] Figure 5a shows a schematic diagram of an optical fiber divided into multiple light-emitting segments along the circumferential and axial directions of the optical fiber body according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 5a, along the axial direction A and circumferential direction C of the optical fiber body 210, the first region 221 can be divided into multiple light-emitting segments by the second region 222, such as the first light-emitting segment 2211, the second light-emitting segment 2212, the third light-emitting segment 2213, the fourth light-emitting segment 2214, the fifth light-emitting segment 2215, and the sixth light-emitting segment 2216 shown in the figure.

[0090] In some embodiments, a portion of the multiple light-emitting segments are distributed along the circumferential direction C of the optical fiber body 210, and another portion of the multiple light-emitting segments are distributed along the axial direction A. As shown in FIG5a, the fifth light-emitting segment 2215 and the sixth light-emitting segment 2216 are distributed along the circumferential direction C of the optical fiber body 210, and the first light-emitting segment 2211, the second light-emitting segment 2212, the third light-emitting segment 2213 and the fourth light-emitting segment 2214 are distributed along the axial direction A of the optical fiber body 210.

[0091] Figure 5b shows a schematic diagram of an optical fiber divided into multiple light-emitting segments in the circumferential and axial directions along the optical fiber body according to other embodiments of this disclosure. As shown in Figure 5b, in the axial direction A and circumferential direction C along the optical fiber body 210, the first region 221 can be divided into multiple light-emitting segments by the second region 222, such as the first light-emitting segment 2211, the second light-emitting segment 2212, the third light-emitting segment 2213, the fourth light-emitting segment 2214, the fifth light-emitting segment 2215, the sixth light-emitting segment 2216, the seventh light-emitting segment 2217, and the eighth light-emitting segment 2218 shown in the figure. The fifth and sixth light-emitting segments 2215 and 2216 of the multiple light-emitting segments are distributed on the optical fiber body 210 along the circumferential direction C. The fourth, seventh, and eighth light-emitting segments 2214, 2217, and 2218 are distributed on the optical fiber body 210 along the circumferential direction C. The first, second, and third light-emitting segments 2211, 2212, and 2213 are distributed along the axial direction A of the optical fiber body 210.

[0092] The foregoing description, in conjunction with Figures 5a and 5b, provides an exemplary description of an optical fiber in which multiple light-emitting segments are divided along the circumferential and axial directions of the fiber body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. It is understood that the multiple light-emitting segments can be used to emit light of the same wavelength, or at least two of the light-emitting segments can be used to emit light of different wavelengths. By dividing the fiber body into multiple light-emitting segments in multiple directions, or by distributing multiple regions of the light-emitting portion in multiple directions along the fiber body, the optical fiber can be used not only for ablation of irregular lesions, but also for ablation when the surgical path deviates from the center of the lesion.

[0093] Figure 6a shows a schematic diagram of an optical fiber including multiple light-emitting blocks according to some embodiments of this disclosure. As shown in Figure 6a, along the axial direction A of the optical fiber body 210, a first region 221 can be divided into multiple light-emitting segments by a second region 222, such as the first light-emitting segment 2211, the second light-emitting segment 2212, and the third light-emitting segment 2213 shown in the figure. At least one of the multiple light-emitting segments can include multiple light-emitting blocks, for example, the first light-emitting segment 2211 shown in the figure can include multiple light-emitting blocks 601. The multiple light-emitting blocks 601 can have the same or different sizes. The multiple light-emitting blocks 601 can be separated by the second region 222. Therefore, the multiple light-emitting blocks 601 can also be considered as being separated by a non-light-emitting region 222 in at least one direction of the optical fiber body 210. In other embodiments, the multiple light-emitting blocks 601 may not be separated.

[0094] In some embodiments, the multiple light-emitting blocks 601 may be arranged in an array. This array arrangement may include one or more of the following array forms: 1×n, m×1, m×n, etc., where m and n are both positive integers greater than 1. It is understood that the optical fiber in this embodiment is not limited to a single light-emitting segment that may include multiple light-emitting blocks, or multiple light-emitting segments may each include multiple light-emitting blocks. An exemplary description is provided below with reference to FIG. 6b.

[0095] Figure 6b shows a schematic diagram of an optical fiber including multiple light-emitting blocks according to other embodiments of this disclosure. As shown in Figure 6b, the first region 221 can be divided into multiple light-emitting blocks 601 by the second region 222, which means that each light-emitting segment includes multiple light-emitting blocks 601, thereby forming an array of light-emitting blocks 601 as shown in the figure.

[0096] The optical fiber comprising multiple light-emitting blocks according to embodiments of the present disclosure has been described above with reference to Figures 6a and 6b. It is understood that by more finely dividing the first region into multiple light-emitting blocks, the energy distribution becomes more uniform, facilitating control over the type, wavelength, emission range, and energy of the emitted light. It also facilitates more accurate conformal ablation based on lesion size, shape, and tissue properties. In other embodiments, at least two of the aforementioned multiple light-emitting blocks can be used to emit light of different wavelengths. Similarly, multiple regions of the light-emitting section can also be arranged in an array in a block-like form to achieve the same or similar technical effects as the aforementioned multiple light-emitting block distribution.

[0097] It is also understood that the above description is exemplary and not limiting. For example, the first region may not be limited to being divided into light-emitting segments or light-emitting blocks as described above. In some other embodiments, the first region may be continuous and emit light at intervals. For ease of understanding, an exemplary description will be given below with reference to FIG7.

[0098] Figure 7a shows a schematic diagram of an optical fiber with a first region in a helical shape according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 7a, the first region 221 of the optical fiber may be helically wrapped around the optical fiber body 210, and a second region 222 is formed between the helical first regions 221. The regions between the helical first regions 221 are the regions between two adjacent threads of the helix. The second region 222 thus formed is also helical. In this embodiment, the pitch of the helical first region 221 may be equal to the width of the second region 222, and it may be set to be uniform (e.g., as shown in Figure 7a) or gradually changing (e.g., gradually widening or narrowing). For example, Figure 7b shows a schematic diagram of an optical fiber with a gradually changing pitch in the helical first region according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 7b, along the F direction shown in the figure, the pitch of the helical first region 221 gradually narrows (i.e., the width of the second region 222 gradually narrows).

[0099] In some embodiments, the spiral-shaped first region 221 may be continuous. In other embodiments, the spiral-shaped first region 221 may also be divided into multiple spiral-shaped light-emitting segments, or the light-emitting portion of the present disclosure embodiment may include multiple spiral-shaped regions. In still other embodiments, at least two of the multiple spiral-shaped light-emitting segments may be used to emit light of different wavelengths.

[0100] In other embodiments, the helical first region 221 may have a gradually increasing transmittance along its helical extension direction to emit light of a gradually increasing wavelength. The helical extension direction of the first region 221 may be the rotational direction of the first region 221 on the fiber body 210. In still other embodiments, at least one of the plurality of helical light-emitting segments may be used to emit light of a gradually increasing wavelength. The implementation of the gradually increasing transmittance and the gradually increasing wavelength has been described above in conjunction with Figure 3a and will not be repeated here.

[0101] It is understood that by setting the first region 221 in a spiral shape, the first region 221 can be divided at least in the axial direction of the fiber body 210, thereby enabling regional light output. It is also understood that the above description is exemplary and not limiting. For example, in some embodiments, a portion of the first region 221 may be set in a spiral shape, and another portion may be set as a complete light output segment or divided into multiple light output segments.

[0102] This disclosure also provides, in another aspect, a laser ablation system including an optical fiber as described above in conjunction with any of Figures 2a-7b. In other embodiments, the laser ablation system may further include one or more lasers. In some embodiments, a laser can emit one or more wavelengths of laser light. In other embodiments, the laser ablation system may include multiple lasers, wherein each laser can emit a single wavelength of laser light. The optical fiber according to embodiments of this disclosure can be coupled to the one or more lasers to emit light of the corresponding wavelength.

[0103] In summary, the optical fiber for laser ablation according to the embodiments of this disclosure can have its light-emitting portion configured into multiple regions in at least one direction of the fiber body. By individually configuring each region, regional light emission can be achieved, thereby giving the optical fiber of this disclosure the characteristics of uniform energy transfer and distribution, which helps to avoid the risk of scorching caused by concentrated central heat. In some embodiments, by configuring regional light emission (e.g., at least two light-emitting segments or at least two regions) to emit light of different wavelengths, or configuring at least one light-emitting segment to emit light of a gradient wavelength, the same optical fiber can be used to emit light of different wavelengths, thus making it more suitable for the needs of multiple scenarios, and allowing selective emission of appropriate wavelengths of light according to the size and characteristics of the lesion to achieve conformal ablation.

[0104] Furthermore, the optical fiber comprising multiple regions according to the embodiments of this disclosure can select an appropriate light emission mode based on the specific conditions of the lesion tissue. For example, it can adapt to the shape, size, and other properties of the lesion tissue by setting different wavelengths and shapes (e.g., diffused light, side-emitting light, ring light, etc.) for multiple regions, or by outputting a gradually changing wavelength beam. Additionally, it can select appropriate directional light emission based on the positional relationship between the light-emitting part of the optical fiber and the lesion tissue. Therefore, the optical fiber according to the embodiments of this disclosure not only improves the accuracy of treatment but also enhances the adaptability and flexibility of treatment plans, providing more targeted, personalized, and precise support for laser ablation therapy.

[0105] While numerous embodiments of this disclosure have been shown and described herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that such embodiments are provided by way of example only. Many modifications, alterations, and alternatives will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and intent of this disclosure. It should be understood that various alternatives to the embodiments of this disclosure described herein may be employed in the practice of this disclosure. The appended claims are intended to define the scope of this disclosure and therefore cover equivalents or alternatives within the scope of these claims.

Claims

1. An optical fiber for laser ablation, comprising: An optical fiber body having a light-emitting section, the light-emitting section being located near one end of the optical fiber body; in The light-emitting section includes multiple regions, at least two of which are used to emit light of different wavelengths, and / or the multiple regions include non-light-emitting regions, so that the light-emitting section can emit light in sections along at least one direction of the optical fiber body.

2. The optical fiber according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting section includes a first region and a second region, wherein the first region and the second region are used to emit light of different wavelengths; or the first region is a light-emitting region and the second region is a non-light-emitting region; In at least one direction along the optical fiber body, the first region is divided by the second region, such that the light-emitting part can emit light in sections in the at least one direction.

3. The optical fiber according to claim 2, wherein the wavelength of the light emitted from the second region is less than the wavelength of the light emitted from the first region.

4. The optical fiber according to claim 2 or 3, wherein, Along at least the axial direction and / or circumferential direction of the optical fiber body, the first region is divided into a plurality of light-emitting segments by the second region.

5. The optical fiber according to claim 4, wherein At least two of the plurality of light-emitting segments are used to emit light of different wavelengths.

6. The optical fiber according to claim 4 or 5, wherein Along the axial direction of the optical fiber body, the first region is divided into multiple light-emitting segments by the second region, wherein two adjacent light-emitting segments are used to emit light of different wavelengths.

7. The optical fiber according to claim 4 or 5, wherein Along the circumferential direction of the optical fiber body, the first region is divided into multiple light-emitting segments by the second region, and the multiple light-emitting segments are symmetrically or uniformly distributed with the central axis of the optical fiber body as the center.

8. The optical fiber according to claim 7, wherein The plurality of light-emitting segments are symmetrically distributed around the center, wherein at least one pair of mutually symmetrical light-emitting segments are used to emit light of different wavelengths.

9. The optical fiber according to claim 4 or 5, wherein Along the axial and circumferential directions of the optical fiber body, the first region is divided into multiple light-emitting segments by the second region, wherein a portion of the multiple light-emitting segments are distributed along the circumferential direction, and another portion of the multiple light-emitting segments are distributed along the axial direction.

10. The optical fiber according to any one of claims 4-9, wherein At least one of the plurality of light-emitting segments includes a plurality of light-emitting blocks, which are arranged in an array.

11. The optical fiber according to claim 10, wherein at least two of the plurality of light-emitting blocks are used to emit light of different wavelengths.

12. The optical fiber according to any one of claims 4-11, wherein at least one of the plurality of light-emitting segments has a gradient transmittance for emitting light of a gradient wavelength.

13. The optical fiber of claim 1, wherein the plurality of regions have a gradient transmittance such that the plurality of regions are used to emit light of a gradient wavelength.

14. The optical fiber according to any one of claims 4-11, wherein at least two of the plurality of light-emitting segments have different light-emitting shapes, the light-emitting shapes including emitted diffuse light, side-emitting light, or ring light.

15. The optical fiber according to claim 1, wherein at least two of the plurality of regions have different light emission shapes, the light emission shapes including emitted diffuse light, side-emitting light, or ring light.

16. The optical fiber according to claim 2, wherein At least a portion of the first region is spirally wrapped around the optical fiber body, and the second region is formed between the spirally shaped first regions.

17. The optical fiber of claim 16, wherein the spiral first region has a gradually increasing transmittance along its spiral extension direction for emitting light of a gradually increasing wavelength.

18. The optical fiber according to claim 1, wherein at least two of the plurality of regions are respectively used to emit light with a wavelength of 980 nm and light with a wavelength of 1064 nm.

19. A laser ablation system comprising the optical fiber as described in any one of claims 1-18.

Images