Patent ID: 6224589
Filing Date: 2001-05-01
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A compact pumped laser arrangement such as for mounting in a laser adapter on a surgical microscope, the pumped laser arrangement comprising:a pumped laser for supplying radiation with a pumping operation for treating a patient, said radiation being emitted as laser pulses of actual pulse energy along a laser beam path;a multichannel pulse energy monitoring device including: first and second detectors mounted downstream of said pumped laser, said first and second detectors being arranged for simultaneously detecting said radiation on line independently of each other; and, first and second measuring channels connected to respective ones of said first and second detectors to provide first and second signals, respectively, indicative of said actual pulse energy of said laser pulses;a first beam splitter mounted on said laser beam path for coupling out a first portion of said radiation to provide outcoupled radiation and for directing a second portion of said radiation along a laser therapeutic beam path as a therapeutic laser beam;said first and second detectors being mounted downstream of said pumped laser for receiving the outcoupled radiation;said pulse energy monitoring device further including a housing having a hollow chamber receiving said outcoupled radiation therein;said first and second detectors being mounted in said hollow chamber and said hollow chamber having an inner wall surface for diffusely reflecting said outcoupled radiation so as to ensure that said first and second detectors receive the same radiation intensity to measure said actual pulse energy of said laser pulses;an adjusting device for providing a desired pulse energy signal indicative of a preselected desired pulse energy for treating the patient;a switching apparatus including first and second switching elements connected to said first and second measuring channels, respectively, for receiving corresponding ones of said first and second signals and said first and second switching elements also being connected to said adjusting device for receiving said desired pulse energy signal; and,said first and second switching elements being operatively connected to said pumped laser for interrupting said pumping operation of said pumped laser to terminate said laser pulses when at least one of said first and second signals corresponds to said desired pulse energy signal.