Phototherapeutical method and system for the treatment of inflammatory and hyperproliferative disorders of the nasal mucosa

Abstract

A phototherapeutical apparatus is described, including a light source, generating high intensity visible light, in some embodiments in combination with ultraviolet light, an optical guidance system, and a patient interface. The patient interface can be insertable at least partially into a nasal cavity and is operable to apply the generated light to a tissue surface of the nasal cavity. Applying the apparatus includes providing the phototherapeutical apparatus, preparing for the application of the apparatus, inserting the patient interface into the nasal cavity, and applying the generated light by the patient interface to a tissue surface of the nasal cavity, wherein the tissue of the nasal cavity has an inflammatory or a hyperproliferative disease. The inflammatory diseases include rhinitis, sinusitis, and rhinosinusitis. A photodynamical therapy is also described, applying photosensitizing substances before the treatment with light. The phototherapeutical method is also effective for the prevention of inflammatory or hyperproliferative diseases.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A phototherapeutical apparatus, comprising: 
 a light source, operable to generate high intensity, visible light;    an optical guidance system, operable to receive and guide the light of the light source; and    a patient interface, operable 
 to receive the guided light from the optical guidance system; and  
 to apply the guided light to a tissue surface of a nasal cavity.  
   
     
     
         2 . The phototherapeutical apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein 
 the patient interface is insertable at least partially into the nasal cavity.    
     
     
         3 . The phototherapeutical apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the light source is capable of generating a combination of visible and ultraviolet light with wavelengths in the range of about 280 nm to about 700 nm.  
     
     
         4 . The phototherapeutical apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the light source is capable of generating a combination of visible and ultraviolet light with wavelengths in the range of about 280 nm to about 600 nm.  
     
     
         5 . The phototherapeutical apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein 
 high intensity light comprises light with a dose between about 10 J/cm 2  and about 100 J/cm 2 .    
     
     
         6 . The phototherapeutical apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the light source is one of an essentially monochromatic light source and a multiwavelength light source.  
     
     
         7 . The phototherapeutical apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the light source is one of a laser, a fluorescent lamp, a light emitting diode, a dye laser, an arc lamp, and an electric discharge lamp, the electric discharge lamp comprising at least one of xenon, argon, and mercury vapor.  
     
     
         8 . The phototherapeutical apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the multiwavelength light source comprises: 
 a quartz bulb, capable of generating an arc with a length between about 1 mm and about 10 mm.    
     
     
         9 . The phototherapeutical apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the phototherapeutical apparatus comprises: 
 a concave mirror, reflecting a portion of the generated light;    a focusing lens, operable to focus a portion of the generated light and a portion of the reflected light;    an optical filter, operable to receive and filter the focused light; and    a beam shutter, operable to control the generated light.    
     
     
         10 . The phototherapeutical apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the optical guidance system comprises at least one of: 
 an optical cable, having a diameter between about 1 micron and about 10 mm and comprising quartz glass fiber; and    an optical arm, comprising at least one capillary tube, wherein the tube contains an light conducting fluid, and wherein the internal surfaces of the tube are at least partially covered with an light reflecting coating.    
     
     
         11 . The phototherapeutical apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the phototherapeutical apparatus is applicable for at least one of the treatment and the prevention of inflammatory and hyperproliferative diseases, comprising: 
 allergic rhinitis, rhinusitis, vasomotor rhinitis, non-allergic eosinophilic rhinitis, chronic sinusitis, and diseases of mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal and urogenital systems.  
 
     
     
         12 . A method of treating diseases, the method comprising: 
 providing a phototherapeutical apparatus, comprising: 
 a light source, capable of generating high intensity visible light;  
 an optical guidance system, coupled to the light source; and  
 a patient interface, coupled to the optical guidance system;  
   preparing for the application of the phototherapeutical apparatus;    generating high intensity visible light with the light source;    coupling the high intensity visible light into the patient interface through the optical guidance system; and    applying the high intensity visible light by the patient interface to a tissue surface of a nasal cavity, wherein 
 the tissue of the nasal cavity has at least one of an inflammatory disease and a hyper-proliferative disease.  
   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the applying the light by the patient interface comprises: 
 inserting the patient interface at least partially into the nasal cavity.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the light source is capable of generating a combination of visible light and ultraviolet light, with wavelengths in the range of about 280 nm to about 700 nm.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 ,.wherein the light source is capable of generating a combination of visible light and ultraviolet light, with wavelengths in the range of about 280 nm to about 600 nm.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the applying the light comprises 
 applying the high intensity visible light with a dose between about 10 J/cm 2  and about 100 J/cm 2 .    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the light source is one of an essentially monochromatic light source and a multiwavelength light source.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the light source is one of a laser, a fluorescent lamp, a light emitting diode, a dye laser, an arc lamp, and an electric discharge lamp, the electric discharge lamp comprising at least one of xenon, argon, and mercury vapor.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the light source generates a quasi-continuous light with a frequency less than about 100 Hertz.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the inflammatory disease is at least one of 
 allergic rhinitis, vasomotor rhinitis, non-allergic rhinitis, rhinosinusitis, sinusitis, and nasal polyp.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the preparation for the application of the photoherapeutical apparatus comprises 
 determining at least one of a minimal erythema dosis.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the applying the light to the tissue surface of the body cavity comprises 
 applying the light in a dose calculated in relation to at least one of the minimal erythema dosis.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the preparation for the application of the photoherapeutical apparatus comprises 
 applying a photosensitizer substance to the tissue surface.    
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the photosensitizer substance is at least one of 
 a porphirin precursor, a metabolite of a porphirin precursor, and a synthetic photosensitizing compound, wherein    the photosensitizer substance becomes activated after the application of the generated light.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the applying the photosensitizer substance comprises 
 applying the photosensitizer substance to the tissue surface in a concentration between about 1% and about 20%.    
     
     
         26 . A method of preventing diseases, the method comprising: 
 providing a phototherapeutical apparatus, comprising: 
 a light source, operable to generate high intensity visible light;  
 an optical guidance system, coupled to the light source; and  
 a patient interface, coupled to the optical guidance system;  
   preparing for the application of the phototherapeutical apparatus;    generating high intensity visible light with the light source;    coupling the high intensity visible light into the patient interface through the optical guidance system;    applying the high intensity visible light by the patient interface to a tissue surface of a nasal cavity, wherein 
 the tissue of the nasal cavity is symptom-free.  
   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the applying the light by the patient interface comprises 
 inserting the patient interface at least partially into the nasal cavity.    
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the preventing diseases comprises 
 preventing at least one of an inflammatory disease and a hyper-proliferative disease.    
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the preventing diseases comprises 
 preventing a disease of at least one of a mucous membrane of a nasal cavity and a nasal sinus.