Deep Tissue Low Intensity Laser Selective Nerve Destruction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current deep tissue medical lasers lack selectivity and specificity in destroying nerve cells, often causing collateral damage to surrounding tissues due to heat generation, leading to temporary pain relief rather than long-term solutions.
Innovation Solution
A deep tissue low intensity laser (DT-LIL) system that selectively destroys nerve cells through absorption and cell resonance, using specific wavelengths absorbed by nerve cells without generating sufficient heat to damage surrounding tissues, providing a minimally invasive method for long-term pain relief.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high intensity lasers are used to destroy nerve cells, then nerve cell destruction is achieved, but surrounding tissues are damaged due to heat generation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the laser energy absorption specific to nerve cell characteristics. Nerve cells have unique optical absorption properties at specific wavelengths that differ from surrounding tissues. By tuning the laser wavelength to match nerve cell absorption peaks, the energy is selectively absorbed by nerve cells while surrounding tissues remain unaffected, achieving localized destruction without collateral damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes key parameters including laser wavelength, pulse duration, and energy density to achieve selective nerve cell destruction. Specific wavelengths (e.g., 1064 nm, 532 nm) are selected based on nerve cell absorption characteristics. Pulse durations in the nanosecond to picosecond range are used to deliver energy faster than heat can diffuse to surrounding tissues, and energy densities are optimized to exceed the breakdown threshold of nerve cells while remaining below the damage threshold of surrounding tissues.
2Reliability
If heat generation is used to destroy tissue, then tissue destruction is achieved, but selectivity is lost and non-specific tissue is damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal/mechanical system of continuous wave laser heating with an optical field-based system using pulsed lasers. Instead of relying on thermal diffusion and mechanical vaporization that affect all tissues in the path, the system uses optical field interactions that exploit the unique optical absorption and nonlinear optical properties of nerve cells. This substitution enables precise selectivity through wavelength and pulse parameter control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic pulsed laser action rather than continuous wave delivery. Short pulses (nanosecond to picosecond duration) are delivered at specific repetition rates, allowing the tissue to cool between pulses and preventing cumulative thermal damage to surrounding tissues. The periodic action also enables control over the spatial and temporal distribution of energy deposition, enhancing selectivity.
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 DT-LIL system achieves selective nerve cell destruction, offering long-term pain relief without heat-induced tissue damage, as demonstrated by complete pain resolution and patient satisfaction in clinical applications.
Implementation Method 1
selective destruction takes place by cell resonance rather than by heat coagulation. The selection of laser wavelength may depend on the absorption characteristics of the nerve cells
Implementation Method 2
uses a deep tissue low intensity laser (DT-LIL) capable of producing cell resonance within a nerve cell that can selectively cause destruction of the nerve cells
Data Source
AI summary
Deep Tissue Low Intensity Laser Therapy or Treatment (DT-LILT) as described here is a novel methodology through which selective destruction of nociceptive (pain) nerves can be brought upon by a medical laser delivery system using the phenomenon of absorption and cell resonance. Using this method nerve cells that transmit pain can be selectively destroyed leaving the surrounding tissues intact as no heat is generated. The delivery system incorporates a fine needle through which a 703 nm (range 690 to 710) pulsed wave low intensity laser is delivered deep into the body, directly to the area of pain causing selective destruction of pain nerves. Laser devices based on this methodology should be used only by the physician or equivalent professional community since diagnosing and defining the area of pain is critical to providing successful pain relief.