Diode-Pumped Laser for Soft Tissue Ablation
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Solution Overview
Problem
High power solid-state lasers used for prostate tissue ablation face inefficiencies, high power consumption, and potential for intracavity optics damage due to low beam quality and high M2 values, leading to increased costs and technical challenges in hospital settings.
Innovation Solution
A diode-pumped solid-state laser operating in continuous Q-switching mode with a large number of transverse modes, reduced beam divergence, and combined protection mechanisms to prevent power damage, allowing for efficient tissue ablation with lower power consumption and standard installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high power solid-state laser is used for tissue ablation, then ablation efficiency is improved, but power consumption increases and intracavity optics may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operating parameters of the laser by using diode pumping instead of traditional lamp pumping, operating in continuous Q-switching mode with a large number of transverse modes. This parameter change enables high power output (60-100 W) while reducing power consumption and eliminating the need for external water cooling, thus resolving the contradiction between ablation efficiency and power consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical cooling system (external water cooling loop) with a diode-pumped solid-state laser design that generates heat internally but manages it through the laser medium itself. The diode pumping mechanism substitutes for both the optical pumping system and the external cooling infrastructure, enabling high power operation without external cooling infrastructure
2Productivity
If high power solid-state laser is used for tissue ablation, then ablation efficiency is improved, but intracavity optics may be damaged due to high peak power
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses continuous Q-switching operation with a large number of transverse modes to create a periodic pulse structure that maintains high peak power for efficient ablation while distributing the energy across multiple modes. This periodic action with multi-mode operation prevents single-mode peak power damage while maintaining ablation efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the beam mode parameters by operating with a large number of transverse modes (high M2 value) rather than a single mode. This parameter change increases the effective beam area in the intracavity optics, reducing peak power density on optical components while maintaining high peak power for tissue ablation, thus protecting intracavity optics from damage
3Temperature
If traditional laser system is used, then external cooling is required, but device complexity and installation cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The diode-pumped solid-state laser system is self-cooling through the laser medium itself. The continuous Q-switching operation with high power output generates heat that is managed internally by the laser crystal and diode assembly, eliminating the need for external water cooling systems. The system serves its own cooling needs through its operational characteristics
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the external water cooling system from the laser setup. By using diode pumping and continuous Q-switching operation, the system removes the dependency on external cooling infrastructure, reducing device complexity and installation requirements while maintaining effective heat management
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables rapid and efficient tissue ablation with reduced power consumption, eliminating the need for external cooling and lowering operational costs, while protecting intracavity optics from damage, thus improving clinical outcomes and usability in hospital settings.
Implementation Method 1
A diode-pumped solid-state laser operating in continuous Q-switching mode
Implementation Method 2
The laser is frequency-doubled with an LBO crystal to produce laser output at 532 nm
Implementation Method 3
High power laser beam is delivered to target prostatic tissue through an optical fiber
Implementation Method 4
laser surgery has become an alternative to TURP for BPH treatment
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention discloses a high power diode-pumped laser for laser ablation of soft tissue. The present invention contemplates to operate the high power diode-pumped solid-state laser at a continuous Q-switching mode and at a big number of transverse modes. The present invention also contemplates to reduce beam divergence and beam spot size and thus to increase power density of the laser on target tissue to improve the speed of tissue ablation. The present invention further contemplates to minimize power consumption such that external water-cooling or secondary cooling loop can be eliminated. The present invention even further contemplates to implement combined mechanisms to protect intracavity optics from power damage. Finally, the present invention contemplates hospitals and surgeon offices to use the high power diode-pumped laser for soft tissue ablation with standard electrical wall-plug outlet and elimination of inconvenient external water-cooling or secondary cooling loop.