The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 01, 1998
Filed:
Mar. 07, 1996
James C Chen, Bellevue, WA (US);
Brent Wiscombe, Mesa, AZ (US);
Light Sciences Limited Partnership, Issaquah, WA (US);
Abstract
A plurality of embodiments for a flexible probe used to provide photodynamic therapy (PDT) and to effect other medical procedures at an internal treatment site inside a patient's body. Each of the embodiments of the flexible probe (100, 108, 130, 158, 182, 190, 220, 280, 370, 390, 440, 460, 520) includes a flexible substrate (102, 184, 196, 222, 250, 282, 412, 462, 482, 502, 522) on which are disposed conductive traces (414, 466, 468, 488, 490, 504, 506, 524, 526) electrically connected to leads through which electrical current and signals are conveyed. A plurality of light sources (104, 192, 256, 286, 418, 436, 470, 492, 508, 542) or other micro-electronic circuits are connected to the conductive traces and mounted on the flexible substrate. Each of the embodiments of the flexible probes is enclosed within a transparent, biocompatible polymer envelope (106, 110, 464, 522). Due to the characteristic elastic properties of the flexible substrate, the flexible probe can readily be bent, folded, or rolled while being disposed at the internal treatment site, thereby enabling the probe to pass through a guide tube (120), an incision, a catheter (150), or a lumen(154) of relatively small cross-sectional diameter. Once disposed at the treatment site, a folded or rolled flexible probe can be unfolded or unrolled to supply light for PDT, or energized to provide other types of medical treatment.