Abstract:
A laser surgical apparatus for performing treatment by irradiating a part to be treated by a laser beam is disclosed. This apparatus includes a laser source which emits the treatment laser beam; a multi-articulated arm for delivering the treatment laser beam emitted from the laser source, the arm including a plurality of light delivery pipes, a joint part for jointing the light delivery pipes, the joint part being rotatable with respect to at least one of the pipes jointed by the joint part, a reflection mirror disposed in the joint part; and a surgical instrument is connected to an end of the arm and used for irradiating the treatment laser beam delivered therein through the arm to the treatment part.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. TBD, entitled LASER SURGICAL METHODS, to inventors Shlomo Assa and Steve J. Meyer, which application was filed on the same day as the present application; and this application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. TBD, entitled DISPOSABLE HAND PIECE FOR DENTAL SURGICAL LASER, to inventors Shlomo Assa, Steve J. Meyer, Julie Assa and Gordon J. Foote, which application was filed on the same day as the present application. The disclosures of the above two applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    This specification relates to a laser surgical apparatus having a multi-articulated arm and different types of surgical instruments to be used in surgery on both soft and hard tissue. 
         [0003]    There have been known laser surgical apparatus for performing treatment by irradiating a part to be treated by a laser beam. For instance, a laser treatment apparatus which emits a carbon dioxide laser beam having infrared wavelengths has been used in plastic surgery treatments for removing wrinkles, birthmarks, etc. of patients. 
         [0004]    In an apparatus of this type, the treatment beam emitted from a laser source is guided through a multi-articulated arm to a hand-piece mounted on an end of the arm and emerges therefrom to irradiate a treatment part. The arm is provided with a plurality of light delivery pipes and joints each jointing the pipes. In each joint, a reflection mirror is disposed. An operator manipulates the arm to position or put the hand-piece onto a target treatment part. 
         [0005]    Sharon (U.S. Pat. No. 3,913,582) patented an apparatus for conducting a laser beam from a laser, through an articulated arm, to an output device, said apparatus being constructed so that the output device is easily maneuvered. In one embodiment, a beam from a laser mounted on an optical bench is directed to a first mirror that reflects the beam upward along the axis of a vertical shaft. At the top of the shaft, a second mirror, mounted on a conical bearing and rotatable about the axis of the vertical shaft, reflects the laser beam along the axis of a horizontal sleeve to a third mirror that is mounted on a sleeve bearing so that it is rotatable about the horizontal axis. In like fashion, the beam from the third mirror is successively incident on fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth mirrors all of which are rotatable about the axis of the shaft down which the incident beam propagates. Finally, the beam from the eighth mirror enters the output device. The second through eighth mirrors are all mounted in the articulated arm and are interconnected by sleeve bearings and, in some cases, hollow tubes. The arm is supported by a counterbalancing system that is connected to the arm at a point between the third and fourth mirrors. 
         [0006]    If treatment needs to be performed on a wide range, for instance, the arm may not be long enough to reach a target treatment part. In this case, the operator needs to move a main unit of the apparatus until the hand-piece can reach the treatment part. This work would be troublesome to the operator and cause a delay in treatment. If a fixed total length of the arm is made too long to solve the above problem, it would be hard to handle. 
         [0007]    Edmoto (U.S. Pat. No. 6,840,934) patented a laser treatment apparatus that can extend the treatment reach distance by having the light tubes be extended in length thus allowing the handpiece to reach further away from the apparatus without the need to move the whole unit. At the end of the articulated arm, and connected mechanically to the end of the articulated arm, the laser beam will be guided to a surgical instrument that allows use of the radiation in the laser treatment. 
         [0008]    Sharon et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 3,865,113) patented a plurality of surgical scalpels that are used in much different surgical treatment. These scalpels are with fixed optics and they are designed for a free hand surgical treatment. 
         [0009]    Zandberg (U.S. Pat. No. 4,228,341) patented a mechanical control apparatus to enable one to manipulate a focused beam in the field of view of a surgical microscope to enable the surgical treatment to be performed using the microscope. In that invention, the mechanical attachment that is mounted mechanically onto the surgical microscope has a mechanical ball mounted drive that tilts a reflecting mirror that causes the manipulation of the laser beam. According with that invention, and as the existing practice, the use of a laser apparatus with a surgical microscope will require the use of an additional instrument, such as the said device. 
         [0010]    Similarly, Raif et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,380) patented an endoscopic attachment to a surgical laser. The attachment is to be used with a surgical laser producing a working laser beam. The coupling device includes a pivotable reflector in the path of the laser beam for reflecting it through the endoscopic tube to the working area at the front end of the tube, and a manipulatable joystick connected to the reflector for manipulating the laser beam to direct it through the endoscopic tube to selected positions in the working area at the front end of the tube. Again, according with that invention, and as exsiting practice, the use of a laser apparatus with a surgical endoscope will require the use of an additional instrument, such as in that invention. 
         [0011]    Zair (U.S. Pat. No. 5,814,042) patented an apparatus for applying a laser beam to a working surface, by displacing the laser beam to trace a plurality of circular scans over the working surface; and continuously varying the diameters of the circular scans at a rate to produce a substantially homogenous distribution of the laser energy over the working surface. According to that invention, an external instrument is connected to the end of the arm, that instrument is electrically powered, using scanning mirrors that deflect the laser beam in a particular circular pattern. Similarly, Assa et at. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,906,609 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,657) patented a method and apparatuses to deliver focused laser energy to selected area. The method and device have means to focus a laser beam and means to move the laser beam in both X and Y directions to be directed to a selected area within the marked outline. These methods are currently used in many different applications in the cosmetic surgery field. Again, this attachment is connected to the end of the said articulated arm. 
         [0012]    Additionally, articulated arm beam delivery is mechanically sensitive to alignment. The system tends from time to time to become misaligned, at which time the system becomes unusable, until a service technician can repair the system by realigning all the joints. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0013]    This specification describes technologies relating to a laser surgical apparatus having a multi-articulated arm and different types of surgical instruments to be used in surgery on both soft and hard tissue. 
         [0014]    In general, one or more aspects of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in apparatus and systems for laser surgery that include a multi-articulated arm and are capable of irradiating a treatment radiation while simplifying the use of the energy, and enabling the unit to be more compact and fit in the treatment procedure more effectively. A laser treatment apparatus for performing treatment by irradiating a treatment part with a laser beam for treatment can include: (a) a laser source which emits the treatment laser beam; (b) a dual axis mirrors scanner for translating the laser beam in two axes; (c) a multi-articulated arm for delivering the treatment laser beam emitted from the laser source, the arm including: a plurality of light delivery pipes, joint part for jointing the light delivery pipes, the joint part being rotatable with respect to at least one of the pipes jointed by the joint part, a reflection mirror disposed in the joint part; (d) an imaging optic system that is assembled in the articulated arm components that is designed to image and deliver the treatment laser emission; (e) an air spring device for counterbalancing the system gravity while in use; and (f) a hand-piece connected to an end of the arm and used for irradiating the treatment laser beam delivered therein through the arm to the treatment part. 
         [0015]    Particular embodiments of the subject matter described in this specification can be implemented to realize one or more of the following advantages. The sensitivity of the laser surgical systems and apparatus to misalignment can be reduced. Moreover, the process of aligning the laser surgical apparatus can be made easier and can be required less often, resulting in less down time for the medical personnel. 
         [0016]    The details of one or more embodiments of the subject matter described in this specification are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description, the drawings, and the claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective view of a laser surgical apparatus in an embodiment according to the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a schematic structural view of an optical system and a control system. 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a schematic view of single stage relay optics. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a schematic view of the scanning mirror layout with the single stage relay optics and the final focusing optic. 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a schematic perspective view of the articulated beam delivery system assembly. 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is a schematic simplified layout of the air spring device counterbalancing the articulated arm gravity. 
           [0023]      FIG. 7  is a graph diagram of the gravity load of the articulated arm and the air spring device counterbalance reaction. 
           [0024]      FIG. 8  is a schematic view of mirror misalignment effect on the laser beam propagation. 
           [0025]      FIG. 9  is a schematic structural view of an optical system and a control system. 
       
    
    
       [0026]    Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0027]      FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective view of the laser surgical apparatus, including a main apparatus cabinet  1 , the unit resting on a wheel base  7 , and handle  8 , to move the unit and position it in place. Programming the apparatus operation parameters is done by using LCD touch screen  5 , and an emergency stop switch  6  is also provided. An articulate arm beam delivery  2  is counterbalanced with an air spring device  4 , and at the end of the arm there is an operating hand piece  3 . Activating the laser by depressing a footswitch  9  will emit the treating laser. 
         [0028]      FIG. 2  is a schematic structural view of an optical system and a control system of the apparatus in detail. Within main apparatus cabinet  1  there are arranged a laser source  10  to generate treatment, a laser source  11  to generating a visible aiming beam, a beam combining optical window  12 , an optical mirror scanner assembly  13 , including an X-axis scanner mirror  14  and Y-axis scanner mirror  15 , and a control module  17  to execute control of each part of the apparatus, and others. A controlling footswitch  18  generates a trigger signal to start laser irradiation. The beam combing window  12  has particular properties that allow the light from the treatment laser  10  to pass through while it allows reflecting the light from the visible aiming beam  11 , which brings the treatment beam and the aiming beam into coaxial relation. 
         [0029]    Scanner assembly  13  internally provided with driven mirrors  14  and  15  for causing each laser beam to deflect a part in X- and Y-directions, at a magnitude that is commanded by the apparatus program via the control module  17 . The succession of commands for the scanner motor in both X or Y direction will cause both laser beams to deflect and scan. 
         [0030]      FIG. 5  is a schematic perspective view of the articulated beam delivery system assembly. The arm  2  includes a main bearing support  47  extending upward from the top of the main unit  1  and light delivery pipe assemblies  48  and  49  which are constructed to be fixed in length. The main bearing  47  and the light delivery pipe assembly  48  are jointed by joints  34   a  and  34   b  which have therein mirrors  16 a and  16 b respectively ( FIG. 2 ). The pipe assemblies  48  and  49  are similarly jointed by joints  34 c and  34 d which have therein mirrors  16   c  and  16   d  respectively. The joint  34   b  is rotatable with respect to the main bearing  47 ; the joint  34   a  is rotatable with respect to pipe  48 . The joint  34   c  is rotatable with respect to the light delivery pipe assembly  49 , and the joint  34   d  is rotatable with respect to the joint  34   c.  It is to be noted that an intermediate pipe may additionally be provided between the joints  34   c  and  34   d.  In this case, the joint  34   d  is brought in rotatable relation to pipe  49 . The above configuration enables an operator to freely move the arm  2  by holding the hand-piece unit  3  by hand. 
         [0031]    In the joints  35   a,    35   b  and  35   c,  mirrors  16   f,    16   e  and  16   g  are arranged respectively, which direct each laser beam delivered through the arm  2  (the light delivery pipe assemblies  48 ,  49 , and others) to the hand-piece unit  3 . These joints  35   a,    35   b  and  35   c  enable free movement of the hand-piece unit  3  with respect to the arm  2 . The hand-piece unit  3  is internally provided with a condensing lens  19  for converging each laser beam delivered into the unit  3  at a predetermined distance to working plane  21 . 
         [0032]    Parallel to pipe assembly  48 , a support arm  41  is attached to both ends of pipe assembly  48  using screws  43  and  44  respectively. This assembly insures that any balancing load will be transferred to the support arm  41  and will prevent any undesired mechanical deflection to pipe assembly  48 . 
         [0033]    An air spring device  42 , which has the particular properties to be able to generate constant spring force along it&#39;s axis, is configured to counterbalance the gravitational weight of the entire articulated arm delivery system. The air spring device  42  can be connected to the support arm  41  using screw  45 , and to the main bearing  47  using screw  46 . This makes it possible to prevent the weight of the arm  2  from leaning to the hand-piece unit  3  side, so that the hand-piece unit  3  can be prevented from bumping against a floor of an operating room, the main unit  1 , or other things. Furthermore, the operability of the arm  2  can be enhanced. In addition, counterbalancing the weight of the system will enable the user to achieve larger degrees of freedom, leading to increased functionality and precision. 
         [0034]    It is important to note, that the prior art is based on a counterweight balancing way, in contrast, the use of an air spring device which is part of this invention increases the functionality and capabilities by reducing overall inertia, and making the unit more compact. 
         [0035]      FIG. 6  is a schematic simplified layout of the air spring device counterbalancing the articulated arm gravity. The gravity weight of the arm is represented by weight  83 . The air spring device is constructed in a way that it creates a fixed reaction force that depends on the air spring size and the gas filling pressure. These type of springs are commonly used in many application were load carrying assistance is needed, such as automotive doors. The air spring device is mounted at a distance  86  from one pivot and a distance  87  from the main pipe assembly  85 . The mounting distances  86  and  87  are particular specified along with the system weight and the air spring device reaction force to create balancing forces with the spring reaction being slightly higher in reaction, which will always force the articulated arm upwards, away from crashing to the flour. For example, the unit can be 38 inches tall, the main bearing  47  can then rise 6 inches above, the light pipe  48  can be 23 inches long while light tube  49  can be 12 inches long. 
         [0036]      FIG. 7  is a graph diagram of the gravity load of the articulated arm and the air spring device counterbalance reaction. According to this invention, an optical imaging system is assembled into the articulated arm, to enable the scanned laser beams to be imaged properly to the handpiece  3  at the end of the articulated arm. 
         [0037]      FIG. 2  shows the placement of the optical components  50   a  and  50   b  in three groups, with the functional description to follow. 
         [0038]      FIG. 3  is a schematic view of single stage relay optics. This relay system that is part of this invention is designed to translate an angular scan angle through a distance. Lens  50   a  which is a positive lens, Plano-Convex or Convex-Convex is placed at a distance  54  that is equal to the focal distance, f 50   a,  of lens  50   a.  At distance  54  the angular tilt of the beam  52  starts. Lens  50   b  is of the same nature as lens  50   a  but with either identical or different focal distance, f 50   b,  is placed at a distance  55  from lens  50   a.  Distance  55  is equal to sum of the focal distance of lens  50   a  plus lens  50   b  , as shown: f 50   a +f 50   b =distance  55 . 
         [0039]    Since both lenses are positive lenses, the laser beams will be focused to a common focus  51  at the distance between the 2 lenses. At a distance  56  behind lens  50   b  the laser beams are collimated and intersecting the main axis at the center line of the optical system with a relay angle  53 . 
         [0040]    In some embodiments, the lenses  50   a  and  50   b  are identical in properties, and the focal distance is equal to f=127 mm, and the focused laser spot  51  appears at the half distance  55 , and the angle  52  will be equal to the angle  53 , and the overall length that the laser beams travel will equal 4×f 50   a= 508 mm. The net result of the relay set is that the laser propagated 4×f distance and the scan angle is imaged to the end of that distance. 
         [0041]    Three sets of the relay lenses are attached in the articulated arm such that the end of the first system is coincident with the beginning of the second system, and the end of the second system coincident with the beginning of the third system. At the end of the three sets, the lasers have propagated 3×4×f=1524 mm in distance, and the scanned angle is at center line of the optical system as shown in  FIG. 3  for the individual set of relay optics. 
         [0042]      FIG. 4  is a schematic view of the scanning mirror layout with the single stage relay optics and the final focusing optics. In this view only one set of relay optics is used to simplify the detailed description of this invention. The motorized scanner mirror  14  is placed at a distance  54  away from lens  50   a.  The physical distance between the scanner mirror and the first relay optics is shown in  FIG. 2 . The scanner mirror  14  is driven by an electronic motor  63 . The deflection angle for the mirror  14 , which is controlled by the control module  17 , is equal to half of the laser beam scanned angle  52 . This angle is relayed to the other end of the optical set  24 , where at a distance  56 , the final focusing lens  19  of the system is placed. This lens is part of the handpiece. When the scanner mirrors  14  and  15  are commanded to tilt the laser beam in either X axis or Y axis or a combination of both, the focused spot of the treatment laser will be shifted  64  in X or Y axis or both axis, at the working plane  21  (both  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 4 ) that is at a distance  60  that is equal to the focal distance of lens  19 . 
         [0043]    In some implementations, the system shown in  FIG. 2  has three sets of relay optics with translating the scanned angles a distance of approximate 1524 mm away from the scanners. A significant advantage here is that the optical mirror scanner assembly  13 , which can often be large and cumbersome and thus obstruct the ability of the user to use the system effectively with great precision, is part of the main unit cabinet  1 , and the optical system transfers the scan angle as part of the articulated arm without significant increase in size or weight to the system. This invention enables efficient and unobstructed use of the focused beam with two axis scanners. In addition, the is no need for any electric wiring in close proximity to the treatment since the electronic motors are part of the cabinet  1  and the scanned angle is imaged the distance of the articulated arm by the relay optics. 
         [0044]    In some implementations, a manual pointing device such a Personal Computer Mouse  18   a  ( FIG. 2 ) is connected to the main cabinet  1 , and is used to enter deflection direction and magnitude, as if the user is using a joystick. This can significantly simplify many surgical procedures. The reason is that for any surgical procedure the physician will use a surgical instrument such as Microscope or Endoscope. It is the prior art common practice that for each surgical tool the physician will connect an adapter that will align the laser beam into the instrument and via a mean to maneuver the laser beam the physician will be able to aim the laser at the proper treatment area. With the present invention, a unique adapter need not be used for each and every surgical tool, since the ability to steer the laser beam and thus align it to the proper area exists in the configuration independent of any unique adapter. 
         [0045]    A major drawback to surgical instruments that comprises of an articulated arm beam delivery is that in many instances the reliability of the beam delivery is poor. The main reason for that is that the system is very sensitive to mirror alignment, and any slight change in the mirror position due to mechanical stresses, material bending or loosening of screws will cause the laser beam to become misaligned and that will reduce the functionality until the unit can be repaired by re-aligning it. It is a difficult task to perform in the field which furthermore make this situation extremely undesired. Thus, it is desired to increase the articulated arm beam delivery reliability by making the system less susceptible to misalignment. 
         [0046]      FIG. 8  is a schematic view of mirror misalignment effect on the laser beam propagation. A mirror  16  can be assembled in any of the rotating joints  35 . An angular misalignment movement  90  of the mirror will reflect the laser beam  91  away from the system center line. The angle  91  is twice as large as the angle  90  of the mirror misalignment. This misalignment will cause the laser beam to propagate along  92 , away from the center line of the system, accumulating a total misalignment distance  94  at a distance equivalent to the relay lens set. According to the details of this invention, the relay lens optic system will image the angular misalignenmnt and will re-center the beam back around the centerline with no accumulated misaligned distance. The use of relay optics that is part of this invention reduces the sensitivity to misalignment by factor of  8  times in average making the system much more durable, more reliable and less sensitive to any mechanical external changes. Another useful advantage for this approach is that the reduction of sensitivity to misalignment makes the assembly process simpler, faster and less costly. 
         [0047]      FIG. 9  is a schematic structural view of an optical system and a control system as can be used in additional implementations, which can be optimized for use in the field of dental surgery. Handpiece  3  can be a disposable inexpensive part that is made of plastic that is designed to be disposed at the end of the usage, eliminating the need for a costly sterilization of the optical and mechanical assemblies. An optical wedge  18  bends the laser beam at a particular designed angle, and the hand piece can be easily aimed at the oral cavity parts that need the treatment. The final focusing lens  19  and a thin metal reflector  20  focuses and reflects the beam at 90° towards the treatment plane  21 . The scanning mirrors image point is exactly at the center of lens  20 , and that keeps the hand piece geometry to a small tapered cylinder that does not obstruct the access to the oral cavity. 
         [0048]    Embodiments of the subject matter and the functional operations described in this specification can be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, or in computer software, firmware, or hardware, including the structures disclosed in this specification and their structural equivalents, or in combinations of one or more of them. Embodiments of the subject matter described in this specification can be implemented as one or more computer program products, i.e., one or more modules of computer program instructions encoded on a tangible program carrier for execution by, or to control the operation of, data processing apparatus. The tangible program carrier can be a computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium can be a machine-readable storage device, a machine-readable storage substrate, a memory device, or a combination of one or more of them. 
         [0049]    While this specification contains many implementation details, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention or of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features specific to particular embodiments of the invention. Certain features that are described in this specification in the context of separate embodiments can also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single embodiment can also be implemented in multiple embodiments separately or in any suitable subcombination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a subcombination. 
         [0050]    Thus, particular embodiments of the invention have been described, but other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.