Abstract:
Dynamically cooling the epidermis of a port wine stain patient undergoing laser therapy permits maximization of the thermal damage to the port wine stain while at the same time minimizing nonspecific injury to the normal overlying epidermis. A cryogenic spurt is applied to the skin surface for a predetermined short period of time in the order of tens of milliseconds so that the cooling remains localized in epidermis while leaving the temperature of deeper port wine stain vessels substantially unchanged. The result is that epidermal denaturation and necrosis which normally occurs in uncooled laser irradiated skin sites does not occur and that clinically significant blanching of the port wine stains at the dynamically cooled sites establishes that selective laser photothermolysis of the port wine stain blood vessels is achieved. In addition, dynamic epidermal cooling reduces patient discomfort normally associated with flashlamp-pumped pulsed dye laser therapy.
Abstract:
An improvement in a method for providing localized cooling of tissue when thermally mediated by electromagnetic radiation comprises directing at least one spurt of a heat transferring substance onto a selected location on the tissue, and preventing ignition of the heat transferring substance by heating from the electromagnetic radiation. Preferably liquid carbon dioxide under pressure is supplied as the heat transferring substance, and adiabatically expanded to provide a solid carbon dioxide spray onto the selected location.
Abstract:
An improved device for delivery of photo-energy from a light source (14), such as a laser, into a uterine cavity for photodynamic therapy, is comprised of a plurality of optic fibers (24, 26, 28) which are bundled together and inserted into the uterine cavity by means of a cannula (18). Withdrawing of the cannula (18) allows the optic fibers (24, 26, 28) to splay or diverge within the cavity. Different portions of the distal tips of the optic fibers (24, 26, 28) are provided with a light diffusing tip, the remainder of the fiber optics being non-diffusing.
Abstract:
An improved device for delivery of photo-energy from a light source (14), such as a laser, into a uterine cavity for photodynamic therapy, is comprised of a plurality of optic fibers (24, 26, 28) which are bundled together and inserted into the uterine cavity by means of a cannula (18). Withdrawing of the cannula (18) allows the optic fibers (24, 26, 28) to splay or diverge within the cavity. Different portions of the distal tips of the optic fibers (24, 26, 28) are provided with a light diffusing tip, the remainder of the fiber optics being non-diffusing.
Abstract:
The laser surgery system has a selected area of epidermal tissue cooled for a defined time duration, to obtain a defined dynamic tem. gradient within tissue using a cryomedium jet. The cooled area of tissue includes the area subsequently treated by the laser and the immediately surrounding area, the later prevented from damage by the laser due to its reduced temp. Pref. the tissue is cooled by a pulsed cryomedium jet, directed onto the surface of the skin via an electronically- controlled magnetic valve (22), the obtained skin temp. measured via a rapid-response IR detector (26), triggered via a digital delay stage (28), simultaneously controlling the magnetic valve and the laser (30).