Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.

Ams Research Corporation

Particles Plus, Inc.

Laserscope, Inc.

Michael Ray Hodel

Raymond Adam Nemeyer

Hyun Wook Kang

David Pariseau

Adam Giandomenico

Douglas G Stinson

Terry J Smith

Michael W Sasnett

Rongwei Jason Xuan

Scott A Davenport

Gerald Mitchell

David S Jebens

A laser resonator includes a gain medium that produces light from pump energy and a variable light attenuator, which receives light and emits either (i) a first light including a continuous series of micropulses, or (ii) a second light including a series of macropulses at spaced time intervals, where each macropulse includes a series of micropulses. Each micropulse has a duration of 0.1 to 10 microseconds, and a duration of each macropulse is less than the time interval between each macropulse, and the micropulses have a frequency of 5 kHz to 40 kHz.

Apparatus for emitting laser pulses

An airborne or liquid particle sensor with a number of advanced features is disclosed. The sensor includes an output channel generating an electrical signal for a particle passing through the sensor, where the electrical signal includes information related to the pulse. The information is processed by the sensor to determine a value that indicates a more accurate particle mass for a sample period than the average mass.

Power management for optical particle counters

The medical laser user interface of the present invention generally comprises a medical laser unit and a control system. The medical laser unit includes an optical probe for delivering laser light to a patient's tissue. The control system controls operation of the medical laser unit. Specifically, the control system provides a foot pedal system that enables the user to switch between the delivery of a first wavelength of laser light and a second wavelength of laser light through depression of a foot pedal. In a first embodiment, a single foot pedal can be used to toggle the wavelengths, where as in a second embodiment two foot pedals can be use, one for the first wavelength and one for the second wavelength. The two wavelengths provided include a wavelength for vaporization of tissue and a wavelength for coagulation.

Medical laser user interface

In a method, a laser pump module is set to a first power mode and pump energy is output at a first power level through the activation of a first subset of laser diodes. Laser light is emitted from a gain medium at the first power level in response to absorption of the pump energy. An operator input corresponding to a power mode setting is received. The laser pump module is switched to a second power mode and pump energy is output at a second power level through the activation of a second subset of the laser diodes. Laser light is emitted from the gain medium at the second power level in response to absorption of the pump energy.

Laser system having switchable power modes

Particle counter with advanced features

The medical laser user interface of the present invention generally comprises a medical laser unit and a control system. The medical laser unit includes an optical probe for delivering laser light to a patient's tissue. The control system controls operation of the medical laser unit. Specifically, the control system provides a foot pedal system that enables the user to switch between the delivery of a first wavelength of laser light and a second wavelength of laser light through depression of a foot pedal. In a first embodiment, a single foot pedal can be used to toggle the wavelengths, where as in a second embodiment two foot pedals can be use, i.e., one for the first wavelength and one for the second wavelength. The two wavelengths provided include a wavelength for vaporization of tissue and a wavelength for coagulation.

An apparatus has a pump module providing pump energy, a resonator and a controller. The resonator includes a gain medium receiving the pump energy from the pump module and producing light; reflective surfaces reflecting light produced by the gain medium back toward the gain medium; and a variable light attenuator receiving light produced by the gain medium. The controller controls the amount of light attenuated by the variable light attenuator such that the apparatus emits windows of pulses of laser light at spaced time intervals, each window containing a plurality of pulses of laser light and each interval between windows being larger than an interval between pulses within a window. The emitted windows of pulses of laser light heat tissue to a temperature that causes coagulation without vaporization.

Laser modulation for coagulation

A medical laser system and related methods of monitoring optical fibers to determine if an optical fiber cap on the optical fiber is in imminent danger of failure. The laser system includes a photodetector for converting returned light from the optical fiber cap to an electronic signal for comparison to a trigger threshold value known to be indicative imminent fiber cap failure. The returned light can be the main laser treatment wavelength, an auxiliary wavelength such as an aiming beam or infrared wavelengths generated by a temperature of the optical fiber cap. In the event the electronic signal reaches the trigger threshold value, the laser system can be temporarily shut-off or the power output can be reduced.

Fiber damage detection and protection device

A desktop medical laser generator (10) for laser surgery has a base plate (12) and an optical assembly (14) mounted thereon. The optical assembly (14) has an improved lamp housing (16) having two identical shell sections (44) and associated components for housing a YAG rod (60) and a lamp (58). Light emitted from the lamp housing (16) is doubled in frequency by a KTP crystal (26), monitored by two power detectors (32,34) and emitted through an output connector (36). A line power control system (90) insures the current drawn from a standard wall receptacle (80) does not exceed accepted limits. An output power detection system (90) closely monitors output power.

Growing community of inventors

Fremont, CA, United States of America

Michael Ray Hodel