JPH0115302B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a laser device used for medical laser devices and the like.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, laser devices, such as those shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b, are examples of medical laser devices used in surgeries and the like. This medical laser device 1 has a power supply section 2 equipped with laser tube gas (CO ₂ , N ₂ ,
Helium gas mixture cylinder 3 is installed.
In addition, the power supply unit 2 has a light emission guide 9 mechanism, for example, N ₂ gas ejected from the nozzle part of the handpiece.
The lower end of a column 5 is attached to the upper part of the power source section 2, which has a gas cylinder 4 and is movable in the direction of arrow A (vertical direction). Reference numeral 6 denotes a laser tube storage section that is rotatably attached to the tip of the support column 5 in the direction of arrow B. A hook-shaped articulated light guiding member 7 is connected to this laser tube storage section 6. A balance weight 8 is attached to the laser tube storage section 6 side of the light guiding member 7. Reflection mirrors (not shown) are housed in the joint portions of the articulated light guiding member 7, respectively. A hand piece 9 is attached to the lower end of the articulated light guiding member 7.

In the medical laser device configured in this way, a CO ₂ laser tube (not shown) installed in the laser tube storage section 6 generates laser light by supplying gas, etc. from the power supply section 2 and the gas cylinder 4. The laser beam is passed through an articulated light guiding member 7 having a reflecting mirror at the joint, and a laser beam is emitted from the hand piece 9 at the tip.
The laser beam is configured to perform incisions on the surface layer of the human body.

However, with this type of light emitting guide member, when the operator holds the light emitting guide member in his/her hand and moves it, the movement of the joints is not smooth, so the direction of movement is restricted, and the movement of the light emitting guide member is restricted. Even when the balance weight 8 is inertia, it feels heavy.Furthermore, the optical axis of the reflective mirror attached to the joint shifts from the center due to the wobbling of the joint, causing the light to become distorted. There is a possibility that the position of the light emitted from the emission guide member may be shifted, and therefore it is not suitable for incising minute parts. In particular, when a micromanipulator for microsurgery is attached as a light emission guide mechanism in place of the handpiece, even a slight deviation of the optical axis makes the surgery impossible.

Next, the micromanipulator for microsurgery will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. At the same time, an internal gimbal 12 is arranged on the opposite side of the pair of eyepieces 11. An objective lens 1 is provided between the pair of eyepieces 11 and the internal gimbal 12.
3 is placed. In addition, the internal gimbal 12
An external gimbal 14 is arranged on the side of the
Inside this external gimbal 14, a laser focus lens 15, a beam splitter 16, an apertured mirror 17, and a marker focusing lens 18 are arranged, respectively. The marker focusing lens 18 is provided with an open end of a fiber optics light guide 19 facing the marker focusing lens 18 .
is connected to the marker light source 20. 21 is a joystick. The laser light (CO ₂ laser light) L of the articulated light guide member 7 enters from the upper part shown in the figure, and the laser focus lens 15,
The light is focused on the surface layer of the human body via a beam splitter 16 and an apertured mirror 17. on the other hand,
Visible light for markers emitted from the marker light source 20 is transmitted through a fiber optics light guide 19, a marker focusing lens 18, and a mirror with an aperture 1.
7. The beam will be irradiated to the same position as the CO ₂ laser beam via the beam splitter 16.

On the other hand, a surgical microscope is attached to these optical systems, and by looking into the pair of eyepieces 11 with both eyes, the body surface and visible light for markers can be observed, and the irradiation position of the CO ₂ laser beam can be determined. Once confirmed, CO ₂ laser light can be emitted using a foot switch or the like, and the body surface corresponding to the marker position can be irradiated with CO ₂ laser light to perform incisions and other operations. In addition to moving the position using the micromanipulator itself, the direction of the optical system can be changed using the joystick 21 to change the irradiation position of the laser beam.

Microsurgery involves surgery on minute parts, such as brain surgery, and if the CO ₂ laser beam deviates even slightly from a predetermined position, serious problems such as destruction of normal tissue occur. In particular, when a micromanipulator is attached to an articulated light guiding member and a CO ₂ laser beam is introduced into the manipulator through the articulated light guiding member, when the micromanipulator moves, the optical axis of the CO ₂ laser beam changes. There was a problem that the CO ₂ laser beam often did not match the normal position of the marker light due to the deviation.

This invention was made based on the above circumstances, and is a highly reliable product that does not cause rattling, can accurately irradiate laser light to the normal marker light position, and is highly reliable. The object of the present invention is to provide a laser device that can provide the following at low cost.

This invention will be described with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to, for example, a medical laser device;
The figure is a sectional view of the light guide member. 30 in each figure
is a medical laser device, and this medical laser device 30 includes a power supply section 31, a light guide member 32, a light emission guide mechanism such as a micromanipulator for microsurgery 33, and a support mechanism such as a support stand 34.
Each is equipped with The power source section 31 includes a power source similar to that shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b, a gas cylinder for a laser tube, an N ₂ gas cylinder for injection from a nozzle section, a laser tube, and the like. Further, since the micromanipulator 33 is similar to that shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b, detailed explanation will be omitted. The support stand 34 that supports the micromanipulator 33 is configured to be movable smoothly in the vertical direction, the horizontal direction, and the front-back direction with a fine force. The structure of the rotating portion of this support stand 34 is a known appropriate structure, and detailed explanation thereof will be omitted.

In the case of CO ₂ laser light, the light guide member 32 is made of, for example, KRS- ₅ [TRBr-TlI (thallium bromide-
A fiber light guiding member (hereinafter referred to as fiber) made of thallium iodide (Thallium iodide) is generally used.
Furthermore, in the case of a YAG laser or an Ar laser, a silica glass fiber or a multicomponent glass fiber is used. As shown in detail in FIG. 4, in this light guide member 32, the outer periphery of the fiber 35 is covered with a metal tube 36 made of a flexible material with high thermal conductivity, and this metal tube 36 covers the inner fiber 35. Used as a protection and heat dissipation conductor. One end 36A of the metal tube 36 is connected to the laser tube 3 having a focusing lens 37.
8, and the other end 36B is connected to the focusing lens 3.
Micromanipulator 3 for microsurgery having 9
3 are connected to each other. Further, both ends of the fiber 35 are firmly supported via supports 40A and 40B made of a material with good thermal conductivity such as aluminum or copper, so that heat generated at the input side and the output side of the fiber 35 Heat is supported by 40A, 40
The light is transmitted to the metal tube 36, laser tube 38, micromanipulator 33, etc. via B, and is emitted from the surfaces thereof. That is, since the diameter of the fiber 35 is small, all the energy of the laser beam generated from the laser tube 38 cannot enter into the fiber 35, and as shown in FIG. The light overflows from the inlet side part, and the light comes out from the silicon part 35B outside the fiber core 35A, and the silicon part 35B
will melt due to heat. In addition, on the output side, in addition to the light that exits from the fiber core 35A, there is also light that is reflected at the output end, and since this reflected wave and forward wave overlap, the highest energy is at a distance of λ/4 based on the wavelength. becomes so high that the fiber cannot withstand the heat output and melts. The heat generated at both ends of these fibers is dissipated from the surfaces of the metal tube 36, laser tube 38, micromanipulator 33, etc.

In the laser device of the present invention configured as described above, the power supply section 31 and the micromanipulator 33 are connected via the light guide member 32, and the micromanipulator 33 is positioned on the support stand 34 so as to be freely adjustable. Therefore, even if the micromanipulator 33 is operated and moved,
Since the CO ₂ laser light is transmitted through the fiber of the light guide member, the optical axis does not shift, and the CO ₂ laser light can be accurately irradiated onto the body surface corresponding to the marker position for incisions and other purposes. can be done. Furthermore, since both ends of the fiber 35 are firmly supported via the support, they will not shift.

It should be noted that the above embodiment is merely an example, and it goes without saying that each member can be replaced with another member having the same function. For example, in the embodiment described above, a micromanipulator for microsurgery is attached to the output side of the laser beam, but instead of this, an appropriate light emission guide mechanism may be used. Although the figure shown in _FIG . Although it describes things that use light, it is not limited to this, for example, Ar
It goes without saying that an appropriate beam such as a laser or YAG laser beam can be used. Furthermore, although the above embodiment describes a medical laser device, the present invention is not limited to this and can be applied to other appropriate laser devices.

Since the present invention is configured as described above, the temperature of the fiber itself is prevented from increasing, and high-energy laser light can pass through the fiber. In addition, since the end of the fiber is firmly fixed by the support, the mutual positions of the laser oscillator and the light emission guide mechanism do not shift, and the light emission guide mechanism can be moved and coated with the flexible metal tube. Even if the position of the light guide member is moved, the optical axis of the laser light does not shift, and the marker position can be irradiated accurately. Furthermore, since the light guide member is surrounded by a flexible metal tube, the fiber will not be damaged, and compared to conventional articulated light guide members, the structure is simpler, lighter in weight, and smoother. It can be made to work. Moreover, it has excellent effects such as being able to supply highly reliable products at low cost.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figures 1a and b are a front view and a plan view, respectively, showing an example of a conventional medical laser device; Figures 2a and b are a schematic plan view and a front view, respectively, of a micromanipulator for microsurgery; The figure is a schematic perspective view showing an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a medical laser device, FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway sectional view of the light guide member, and FIG. 5 is a state of laser light transmission through the light guide member. FIGS. 6a and 6b are an explanatory diagram showing a light energy distribution diagram and a fiber cross-sectional diagram. 30...Medical laser device, 31...Power supply unit,
32... Light guide member, 33... Micromanipulator, 34... Support stand, 35... Fiber, 36... Metal tube, 37, 39... Focusing lens.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A laser oscillator including a driving power source, a support mechanism provided in a position adjustable manner, a light emission guide mechanism attached to the support mechanism, and a light emission guide mechanism from the laser oscillator to the light emission guide mechanism. a fiber that guides the laser, and a highly thermally conductive flexible fiber whose end is connected to the laser oscillator and the light emission guide mechanism, which covers the outer periphery of the fiber, and which is in contact with the end of the fiber. A laser device characterized by comprising a metal tube. 2. The laser device according to claim 1, wherein both ends of the fiber are attached to the flexible metal tube via supports with high thermal conductivity.