Patent ID: 6302878
Filing Date: 2001-10-16
Classification: A61B,A61N

Abstract:
A system for irradiating a living body with laser light, characterized in that it comprises:a target adapted to be located inside of a living tissue in a region to be treated, the target including a material which absorbs the laser light to thereby generate heat therefrom; anda means for irradiating said region to be treated from outside of said living tissue with the laser light to generate said heat in said target,said laser light irradiating means comprising:a holder having a laser light transmissive portion;a laser light emitting portion being provided within said holder and emitting laser light from a laser light generator to said laser light transmissive portion,a cooling portion being provided between said laser light transmissive portion and said laser light emitting portion;a closed-circuit cooling supply means for conducting coolant through said cooling portion;a temperature detecting means for detecting a temperature of the tissue in said region to be treated;a controller for controlling at least one of the circulation amount of the coolant supplied by the coolant supply means and the temperature of the coolant in response to the temperature of the tissue in said region to be treated as detected by said temperature detecting means; andwherein said laser light transmissive portion is adapted to be in direct contact with a surface of the living tissue so as to be spaced from and facing said region to be treated.