Renewable Medical Optical Fiber Tip for Laser Lithotripsy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medical optical fibers used in ureteroscopic laser lithotripsy procedures face distal tip degradation due to high laser energy intensity, especially with small core fibers, which affects the mechanical strength and efficiency of the treatment.
Innovation Solution
A medical optical fiber design featuring a renewable distal tip with detachable segments made of optically transparent materials, coupled via adhesives or electromagnetic fields, allowing for intra-procedure reconditioning without removing the fiber from the endoscope, using laser energy to selectively detach and replace segments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If small core fibers are used for high-power laser application, then laser energy intensity is improved, but mechanical strength and distal tip durability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The optical fiber is divided into multiple segments: a non-renewable portion with small core diameter (sub 300 μm) for high laser energy intensity, and a renewable portion with larger core diameter for mechanical strength. The renewable portion can be replaced when degraded, allowing the system to maintain both high power capability and mechanical durability throughout the procedure.
2Productivity
If the optical fiber remains in the endoscope during procedure, then treatment continuity is improved, but distal tip degradation occurs due to laser exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The renewable portion of the optical fiber is designed to be discarded when degraded and replaced with a fresh segment. The system recovers by automatically advancing a new renewable portion into the distal tip position, maintaining continuous treatment capability without removing the fiber from the endoscope.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical fiber system transitions from a static single-tip design to a dynamic multi-segment design where the renewable portion can be advanced and repositioned during the procedure. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the distal tip to be renewed in-situ, maintaining both treatment continuity and tip reliability.
3Reliability
If the distal tip is renewed by removing the fiber from the endoscope, then tip condition is improved, but procedure time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The endoscope system performs the distal tip renewal operation autonomously without requiring removal of the fiber. The renewable portion advancement mechanism is integrated into the endoscope, allowing the system to service itself by automatically advancing a fresh fiber segment into position while maintaining continuous treatment capability.
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
Enables continuous high transmission rate and effective laser treatment by maintaining the distal end of the optical fiber, reducing the need for frequent fiber replacements and minimizing procedure interruptions.
Implementation Method 1
the adhesive material between a first one of the plurality of detachable segments and a second one of the plurality of detachable segments is configured to melt when exposed to a first quantity of laser energy
Implementation Method 2
the adhesive material between a first one of the plurality of detachable segments and a second one of the plurality of detachable segments is configured to melt when exposed to a first quantity of laser energy
Implementation Method 3
each of the plurality of detachable segments can comprise a ferrous material, the ferrous material configured to interact with an electromagnetic field to selectively decouple one of the plurality of detachable segments
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a medical optical fiber comprising a renewable distal end. The renewable distal end comprising several detachable segments where the detachable segments can be selectively and/or automatically detached to renew the distal most tip of the optical fiber.