Thermo-acoustical Tip for Cost-Effective Laser Tissue Treatment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
High-cost lasers used in medical applications for tissue treatment, such as lithotripsy and root canal therapy, limit their widespread adoption due to expensive equipment like Ho or Er lasers, necessitating a more affordable laser acoustical converter.
Innovation Solution
A low-cost laser-induced thermo-acoustical system utilizing a diode laser and a thermo-optical tip with a waveguide and absorbing layer, which absorbs laser radiation to boil liquid, generating a high-pressure stream for tissue treatment, reducing costs by using a diode laser and a tip with an absorbing layer made from materials like semiconductors or metals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If expensive lasers like Ho or Er lasers are used for laser-induced bubble formation and shockwave generation, then effective tissue treatment is achieved, but the cost of the system becomes prohibitively high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an absorbing layer as an intermediary component between the laser source and the liquid medium. This absorbing layer converts laser energy into thermal energy, which then generates acoustic waves and bubbles in the liquid. By using this intermediary conversion mechanism, the system can achieve effective tissue treatment using lower-cost laser sources rather than requiring expensive specialized lasers directly
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the direct mechanical/optical action of expensive lasers with a thermal conversion process. Instead of using costly Ho or Er lasers that directly interact with tissue, the system uses a lower-cost laser source that heats an absorbing layer, which then generates the necessary acoustic and thermal effects in the liquid medium for tissue treatment
2Use of energy by moving object
If high absorption coefficient materials are used in the absorbing layer to efficiently convert laser energy, then energy conversion efficiency is improved, but the complexity of material selection and manufacturing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies optimal parameter ranges for the absorbing layer, including absorption coefficient (0.1 to 1.0 cm⁻¹) and thickness (0.01 to 0.5 mm), to achieve efficient energy conversion. By defining these parameter ranges, the system balances energy conversion efficiency with manufacturing feasibility, allowing for standardized production without excessive complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The absorbing layer can be made from various materials including semiconductors, metals, metal oxides, carbon, or doped optical materials. This flexibility in material selection allows for composite or optimized material solutions that achieve high absorption coefficients while remaining manufacturable through established processes
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 system achieves effective tissue treatment with high-speed, high-pressure liquid streams for cutting and disinfection, offering a cost-effective alternative to expensive lasers, suitable for dental and medical applications, including root canal and periodontal treatments, with precise control over laser parameters.
Implementation Method 1
the absorbing layer serving to absorb the laser radiation propagating through the waveguide
Implementation Method 2
upon absorbing the laser radiation the tip boils a quantity of a liquid
Implementation Method 3
the tip boils a quantity of a liquid when the tip is surrounded by the liquid
Implementation Method 4
laser induced thermo-acoustical streaming of liquid
Data Source
AI summary
A laser induced thermo-acoustical system has a waveguide for propagating laser radiation to an absorbing layer of a tip. The tip has an absorbing layer serving to absorb the laser radiation propagating through the waveguide. The absorbing layer has such an absorption coefficient that upon absorbing the laser radiation the absorbing layer heats up to boil a quantity of a liquid when the tip is surrounded by the liquid. A laser induced thermo-acoustical method calls for providing a waveguide for propagating laser radiation to the absorbing layer of the tip to be at least partially absorbed by the absorbing layer and to boil a quantity of the liquid surrounding the tip and generating the stream of liquid. The laser induced thermo-acoustical streaming of the liquid is used, in particular, for the treatment of a root canal and periodontal pockets.