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.

1 . A method of treating tissue, comprising: 
 selecting an illumination dosage of visible light, wherein said illumination dosage is selected to treat a medical condition of a patient; and    administering the illumination dosage of visible light to respiratory tissue of the patient.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the illumination dosage is 4 J/cm 2 .  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the illumination dosage is 7 J/cm 2 .  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the illumination dosage is about 100 J/cm 2 .  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the illumination dosage is in a range between about 10 J/cm 2  and about 100 J/cm 2 .  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the respiratory tissue comprises nasal cavity tissue.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the respiratory tissue comprises nasal mucosa.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the respiratory tissue comprises sinus tissue.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising administering a photosensitizer to the patient.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the administering a photosensitizer to the patient is performed prior to administering the illumination dosage.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the photosensitizer comprises a porphyrin precursor.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the photosensitizer comprises 5-aminolevulinate.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the photosensitizer comprises a metabolite of a porphyrin precursors.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the photosensitizer comprises a synthetic porphyrin precursor.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the photosensitizer comprises methyl 5-aminolevulinate.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the photosensitizer comprises a concentration in a range between about 1% and about 20%.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the administering a photosensitizer comprises applying a systemic photosensitizer.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the administering a photosensitizer comprises applying a topical photosensitizer.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising administering ultraviolet light to the respiratory tissue.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the medical condition comprises a polyp.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the medical condition comprises asthma.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the medical condition comprises sinusitis.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising administering ultraviolet light to the respiratory tissue.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said administering ultraviolet light to the respiratory tissue is performed while administering said illumination dosage of visible light.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said ultraviolet light has a wavelength in a range between about 280 nm and about 320 nm.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said ultraviolet light has a wavelength in a range between about 320 nm and about 400 nm.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the medical condition comprises a polyp.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the medical condition comprises asthma.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the medical condition comprises sinusitis.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the visible light has a wavelength in a range of about 400 nm to about 700 nm.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the visible light has a wavelength in a range of about 400 nm to about 600 nm.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the medical condition comprises a polyp.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the medical condition comprises allergic rhinitis.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the medical condition comprises asthma.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the medical condition comprises sinusitis.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the medical condition comprises an inflammatory disease.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said administering the visible light comprises directing the visible light towards a sinus.  
   
   
       38 . A method of treating tissue, comprising: 
 administering a photosensitizer to mucosal tissue in the nasal cavity of a patient; and    delivering ultraviolet light to the nasal cavity so that the ultraviolet light is at least partially absorbed by the mucosal tissue to treat a medical condition.    
   
   
       39 . A method of treating tissue, comprising: 
 selecting an illumination dosage of phototherapeutical light;    providing the phototherapeutical light to a patient's tissue;    receiving reflected light reflected from the patient's tissue; and    generating an image based at least in part upon the reflected light.    
   
   
       40 . A phototherapeutical device, comprising: 
 a light source adapted to provide an illumination dose of visible light;    a patient interface, coupled to said light source, adapted to be inserted into a nasal cavity of a patient and to administer the illumination dose of visible light to tissue within the nasal cavity;    an image processing element adapted to receive reflected light that is reflected from the tissue within the nasal cavity; and    an image processor coupled to the image processing element that generates an image of the tissue.    
   
   
       41 . The phototherapeutical device of  claim 40 , wherein the image processing element comprises an image processing cable.  
   
   
       42 . A phototherapeutical device, comprising: 
 a light source adapted to provide an illumination dose of light of 700 mW/cm 2 ; and    a patient interface, adapted to be inserted into a patient's nasal cavity and adapted to deliver the illumination dose to the nasal cavity.    
   
   
       43 . The phototherapeutical device of  claim 42 , wherein the light source comprises a UVA light source.  
   
   
       44 . The phototherapeutical device of  claim 42 , wherein the light source comprises a UVB light source.  
   
   
       45 . The phototherapeutical device of  claim 42 , wherein the light source comprises a visible light source.  
   
   
       46 . The phototherapeutical device of  claim 42 , wherein the illumination dose comprises 13% UVA light.  
   
   
       47 . The phototherapeutical device of  claim 42 , wherein the illumination dose comprises 1% UVB light.  
   
   
       48 . The phototherapeutical device of  claim 42 , wherein the illumination dose comprises 84% visible light.  
   
   
       49 . A phototherapeutical device, comprising: 
 a light source adapted to provide an illumination dose of light in a range between about 0.1 W and about 2 W; and    a patient interface, adapted to be inserted into a patient's nasal cavity and adapted to deliver the illumination dose to the nasal cavity.    
   
   
       50 . A phototherapeutical device, comprising: 
 a light source adapted to provide an illumination dose of light in a range between 2 W and 4 W; and    a patient interface, adapted to be inserted into a patient's nasal cavity and adapted to deliver the illumination dose to the nasal cavity.    
   
   
       51 . A phototherapeutical device, comprising: 
 a light source adapted to provide an illumination dose of light of 20 J/cm 2  over approximately 10 minutes; and    a patient interface, adapted to be inserted into a patient's nasal cavity and adapted to deliver the illumination dose to the nasal cavity.    
   
   
       52 . A phototherapeutical device, comprising: 
 a light source adapted to provide an illumination dose of light of 50 J/cm 2  over 15 minutes; and    a patient interface, adapted to be inserted into a patient's nasal cavity and adapted to deliver the illumination dose to the nasal cavity.