Method of treating for impotence and apparatus particularly useful in such method

Abstract

A method and apparatus for treating a male for impotence, i.e., for enabling, or improving the ability of, the male to achieve or maintain a penile erection of adequate rigidity for sexual intercourse, by applying monochromatic light radiation, preferably low-power laser radiation of a wavelength of 440 nm, to the penis of the male, sufficient to induce relaxation of the walls of the blood vessels supplying blood to the corpora cavernosa of the penis.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of treating a male for impotence, comprising: 
 applying low-power monochromatic light radiation to the penis of the male sufficient to induce relaxation of the walls of the blood vessels supplying blood to the corpora cavernosa of the penis.    
     
     
         2 . The method according to    claim 1   , wherein the monochromatic light radiation is laser radiation of a wavelength of 440-960 nm.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to    claim 1   , wherein the irradiance of said laser radiation is 20-2000 millewatts per square centimeter for a total radiance exposure of 50-200 joule per square centimeter in a total treatment time of 2-40 minutes.  
     
     
         4 . The method according to    claim 1   , wherein the radiation is slowly moved along the length of the penis.  
     
     
         5 . The method according to    claim 4   , wherein the radiation is applied by moving it through at least one cycle including a forward stroke from one end of the penis to the opposite end, and a return stroke from the opposite end back to the one end.  
     
     
         6 . The method according to    claim 4   , wherein the radiation is applied through at least one cycle, including a slow forward stroke having a duration in the order of minutes, and a quick return stroke having a duration in the order of seconds.  
     
     
         7 . The method according to    claim 4   , wherein the radiation is applied only to the upper part of the penis as the radiation is moved along the length of the penis.  
     
     
         8 . The method according to    claim 4   , wherein the radiation is applied via a plurality of optical fibers arranged along the length of the penis and sequentially irradiated by a narrow beam of the radiation.  
     
     
         9 . The method according to    claim 8   , wherein said plurality of optical fibers are arrayed axially of the penis for its complete length, and circumferentially of the penis for the upper half of its circumference.  
     
     
         10 . The method according to    claim 8   , wherein a convex lens is provided at the end of each optical fiber proximal to the penis to converge the radiation applied thereby to the penis.  
     
     
         11 . Apparatus for irradiating an object with light radiation, comprising: 
 a radiation source outputting a radiation beam;    a radiation applicator including an object supporting device for supporting the object to be irradiated;    a radiation guiding conduit guiding the radiation beam from the light source to the radiation applicator; said radiation guiding conduit including a plurality of optical fibers having inlet ends for receiving the radiation beam from said light source, and outlet ends distributed along the surface of the object to be irradiated for irradiating said surface;    and a radiation distributor between said light source and said inlet ends of the optical fibers for sweeping said radiation beam across said inlet ends of the optical fibers and thereby for distributing the radiation beam across the surface of the object to be irradiated.    
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to    claim 11   , wherein a convex lens is provided at the outlet end of each optical fiber to converge the radiation beam applied thereby to the surface of the object.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to    claim 11   , wherein said outlet ends of the optical fibers are arrayed in a matrix extending axially and transversely of the object to be irradiated.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to    claim 13   , wherein said inlet ends of the optical fibers are arrayed in a cylindrical matrix extending axially and transversely of said radiation distributor; and said radiation distributor distributes said radiation beam with respect to said inlet ends of the optical fibers.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to    claim 14   , wherein said radiation distributor includes a mirror which is rotated by a rotary drive and is moved axially by an axial drive to sequentially sweep said radiation beam across said inlet ends of the optical fibers.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to    claim 14   , wherein said radiation distributor includes: 
 a beam expander for expanding the radiation beam outputted by said light source;    a conical deflector for deflecting the radiation beam laterally towards said inlet ends of the optical fibers;    and an axial drive for driving said conical deflector axially with respect to said inlet ends of the optical fibers.    
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to    claim 14   , wherein said radiation distributor includes a plurality of light modulators axially-aligned with said light source, and axially-spaced from each other, for distributing the radiation beam with respect to said inlet ends of the optical fibers.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to    claim 14   , wherein said radiation distributor includes a cylindrical tube having a plurality of openings therein arrayed both circumferentially and axially of said tube; said inlet ends of the optical fibers being fixed in said openings.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to    claim 18   , wherein said radiation applicator includes a cavity for receiving the object, said radiation applicator being formed with a plurality of openings arrayed both circumferentially and axially of said cavity and fixedly receiving the outlet ends of the optical fibers.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to    claim 19   , wherein: 
 said monochromatic light source is a laser outputting a low-power laser beam of 440-960 nm; said radiation applicator is made of resilient material; and said semi-cylindrical cavity is configured to receive the penis of a male to be irradiated with the laser radiation.