Multiple-input-coupled illuminated multi-spot laser probe

Abstract

Systems and methods for creating multi-spot laser light beams, multiplexing an illumination light and the multi-spot laser light beams, delivering the multiplexed light to a surgical handpiece via a multi-core optical fiber cable, and delivering the multiplexed light onto patient anatomy.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laser system, comprising:
 a first port for coupling with a multi-core optical fiber cable connected to a surgical handpiece;   a therapeutic laser source configured to provide a treatment laser beam;   an aiming laser source for providing an aiming laser beam;   a diffractive optical element (DOE) with a plurality of diffraction regions configured to receive the treatment laser beam and the aiming laser beam and to create a multi-spot laser pattern;   a condensing lens; and   a multi-core optical fiber cable comprising a proximal end coupled with the first port;   wherein the condensing lens focuses the multi-spot laser pattern onto an interface in the first port;   wherein the multi-spot laser pattern is focused on the proximal end of the multi-core optical fiber cable, wherein the multi-core optical fiber cable further comprises an outer core and a plurality of inner cores contained within the outer core, and   wherein the surgical handpiece comprises a probe tip coupled with a distal end of the multi-core optical fiber cable, the probe tip having a lens, wherein the distal end of the multi-core optical fiber cable terminates in an interface with the lens, and wherein the lens translates a geometry of the multiplexed multi-spot laser pattern from the distal end of the multi-core optical fiber cable onto a target surface.   
     
     
         2 . The laser system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an illumination system that emits substantially white light;   a collimating lens that collimates the substantially white light received from the illumination system into an illumination beam;   a multiplexing beam splitter arranged to receive the illumination beam and the multi-spot laser pattern from the DOE, the multiplexing beam splitter configured to reflect the multi-spot laser pattern towards the condensing lens and to transmit an illumination beam from the collimating lens towards the condensing lens, thereby multiplexing the multi-spot laser pattern and the illumination beam.   
     
     
         3 . The laser system of  claim 1 , wherein the surgical handpiece comprises a first laser probe assembly, and wherein the laser system further comprises:
 a second port for coupling with a second laser probe assembly;   a port selector;   wherein the therapeutic laser source is configured to direct the treatment laser beam to the port selector, the port selector configured to selectively direct the treatment laser beam toward the first port or the second port.   
     
     
         4 . The laser system of  claim 3 , wherein the aiming laser source is a first aiming laser source and the aiming laser beam is a first aiming laser beam and wherein the laser system further comprises a second aiming laser source configured to provide a second aiming laser beam to the second port. 
     
     
         5 . The laser system of  claim 4 , further comprising a focusing lens arranged to receive the treatment laser beam and the second aiming laser beam and focus the treatment laser beam and the second aiming laser beam to the second port and onto an interface with an optical fiber of the second laser probe assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The laser system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a beam detector, wherein a portion of the treatment laser beam is directed to the beam detector by a beam splitter.   
     
     
         7 . The laser system of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a first beam detector, wherein a portion of the treatment laser beam is directed to the first beam detector by a first beam splitter when the port selector directs the treatment laser beam toward the first port;   a second beam detector, wherein a portion of the treatment laser beam is directed to the second beam detector by a second beam splitter when the port selector directs the treatment laser beam toward the second port.   
     
     
         8 . The laser system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a power monitor; and   a beam splitter arranged to receive the treatment laser beam from the therapeutic laser source and direct a portion of the treatment laser beam to the power monitor.   
     
     
         9 . The laser system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an optical element in a path of the treatment laser beam configured to transform a horizontally polarized treatment beam from the therapeutic laser source into a vertically polarized treatment beam.   
     
     
         10 . The laser system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a shutter arranged in a treatment laser beam path, the shutter configured to alternatively block and transmit the treatment laser beam.   
     
     
         11 . The laser system of  claim 1 , wherein the DOE comprises a movable linear stage with the plurality of diffraction regions. 
     
     
         12 . The laser system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a beam compressor arranged between the therapeutic laser source and the DOE, the beam compressor configured to collimate the treatment laser beam to a diameter selected based on the attributes of the DOE and a desired multi-spot pattern.   
     
     
         13 . The laser system of  claim 1 , wherein the therapeutic laser source is configured to produce the treatment beam having a wavelength equal to 532 nm (nanometers), and wherein the aiming laser source is configured to produce a laser aiming beam having a wavelength equal to 635 nm. 
     
     
         14 . The laser system of  claim 1 , wherein the DOE creates the multi-spot pattern in a 2×2 array pattern. 
     
     
         15 . The laser system of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of inner cores contained within the outer core form a 2×2 array that matches the 2×2 multi-spot pattern from the DOE.