Abstract:
Ultraviolet light is applied to a patient&#39;s blood while that blood remains in the body. The UV light is applied sublingually. A mouthpiece holding plastic tubing with fused silica fiber optic bundles is inserted under a patient&#39;s tongue. A fiber optic strand or bundle runs through the tube to irradiate the mucus membrane and provide the UV light to the blood.

Description:
[0001]     This application is a continuation in part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/926,209 filed 25 Aug. 2004 that claimed the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/503,678 filed Sep. 17, 2003. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing UV light to blood.  
         [0004]     2. Background of the Prior Art  
         [0005]     Ultraviolet (UV) light can be used to treat a multitude of medical problems, including for example bacterial, viral and fungal infections, poisoning, fatigue, Alzheimer&#39;s disease, allergies and asthma, rheumatic diseases and arthritis, diabetes, hepatitis, and cancer. UV light sterilizes the blood and acts as an antibiotic.  
         [0006]     The UV light is applied either to the patient&#39;s skin or directly to the blood. If the UV light is applied to the skin it is typically provided to the patient&#39;s skin either with a wrap or lamp.  
         [0007]     UV light is commonly used to treat jaundiced babies. Because infant&#39;s skin is thin and the blood vessels are close to the surface, UV light is typical applied to the skin when treating jaundiced babies.  
         [0008]     Applying the UV light directly to a patient&#39;s blood supply is known as photoluminescence or UV blood illumination (UBI). UV blood illumination increases oxygen, destroys toxins and boosts the immune system.  
         [0009]     In prior art UBI, a small amount of blood is drawn from the patient, up to about 250 cc. The body has about 5.6 L of blood. The blood that is drawn travels through a cuvette or glass chamber. The blood is repeatedly illuminated with UV light and then returned to the body. The process is repeated, typically a day or several days later. These treatments are time consuming, and require regular trips to a medical facility. In addition, trained personal must be available to provide the treatments.  
         [0010]     There is a need for a method of providing UV light to a patient&#39;s entire blood supply, not just a small portion of it. There is a need for a system that is convenient for the patient, which does not require regular doctor visits. There is a need for a simple system that can be used by the patient in his home.  
         [0011]     There is a need for a system that allows for round the clock treatments or other regular treatments such as pulsed treatment or automatic periodic treatments.  
         [0012]     There is a need for a blood illuminator that reduces the risk of infection from removing blood. There is a need for a system that reduces the number of needle sticks a patient must endure.  
         [0013]     There is a need for a system that allows the blood to be treated on an as needed basis, such as based on how the patient is feeling at a particular time.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]     The present invention is a UV device or a portable UV pack that irradiates the mouth under the tongue. The UV pack has a battery or other power supply and a UV light source. The UV light source is typically LEDs that emit UV-C light. The UV pack or device is inserted into the patient&#39;s mouth, preferably under the tongue. Fiber optic strand(s) run through a tube to provide the UV light to the blood. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]      FIG. 1  is a portable UV pack;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a patient with a connectable UV pack;  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a cross section of a UV device;  
         [0018]      FIG. 4   a  is a UV catheter for use with a UV pack or with a UV device;  
         [0019]      FIG. 4   b  is a cross section of the UV catheter for use with a UV pack or with a UV device;  
         [0020]      FIG. 5  is a fiber-optic light guide for use with a UV pack or with a UV device; and  
         [0021]      FIGS. 6   a - 6   e  are various embodiments of the UV light bulb for with the UV pack or with the UV device.  
         [0022]      FIG. 7  is a sub-lingual UV light irradiation delivery device.  
         [0023]      FIG. 8  is the sub-lingual UV light irradiation delivery device inserted into a patient&#39;s mouth. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0024]     Ultraviolet light (UV) can is used to treat many diseases including infections, poisoning, fatigue, allergies, hepatitis, cancer and HIV. UV light increases the oxygen combining power of the blood, destroys toxins, viruses, fungi, bacteria, and boosts the immune system. UV light also sterilizes the blood and acts as an antibiotic. Preferably, UV-C light is utilized in the present invention. UV-C light has a wavelength of 190 nm-100 nm.  
         [0025]     The invention is a UV device  40  and a portable UV pack  20  that are connectable to a patient  10  via a port  12  to directly supply UV light to the patient&#39;s blood supply  14 . Port  12  is surgically implanted in patient  10 . Ports and catheters are well known in the art. They are for cancer patients receiving regular or continuous chemotherapy, diabetics and others. Alternatively, UV pack  20  could be surgically implanted under the patient&#39;s skin. In yet another alternative, a portion of UV pack  20  such as a portion of light guide  22  can be implanted in patient  10 .  
         [0026]     Portable UV pack  20  comprises housing  24 , battery or other power source (not shown) and UV light source (not shown). Preferably, UV light source (not shown) is LEDs (not shown) emitting UV light at a therapeutic wavelength. More preferably, the UV light is UV-C light and ranges from 190 nm-100 nm. Alternatively, a plurality of LEDs, having one or more different wavelengths of UV light could be used. It is preferable that a substantial portion of the emitted light be UV-C.  
         [0027]     In one embodiment, UV pack  20  has a light guide  22  made of rubber or other flexible tubing for housing one or more fiber optic strands  26 . Alternatively, a liquid core light guide or other known light guide can be used. Emitted UV radiation travels to the end tip of the light guide  22  and is emitted. Emitted radiation directly illuminates patient&#39;s blood. Light guide  22  has transparent cover  28  at the end connectable to or insertable in the patient.  
         [0028]     Light guide  22  has a connector  30  for coupling UV pack  20  to port  12  or catheter in the patient. Catheter may be inserted into port  12  or there may be connector  30  on one end of the flexible tube that mates with a connector on port  12 .  
         [0029]     In an alternative embodiment, light source such as a LED, or miniature light bulb is inserted through port  12  and directly illuminates the blood.  
         [0030]     The UV pack  20  allows UV light to be supplied directly to the blood. Instead of treating only a maximum of 250 cc of blood, larger amounts of blood or even the entire blood supply can be treated. The 5.6 L of blood in a human body circulates through the body about 3 times every minute. Thus, large amounts of blood can be treated with photoluminescence.  
         [0031]     Patient  10  can connect to UV pack  20  when a treatment is needed. Alternatively, UV pack  20  can remain connected to port  12  and be turned on only for treatment. UV pack  20  could be turned on and off manually. Alternatively, UV pack  20  could automatically turn off the light source after a set treatment time, such as 20 minutes. UV pack  20  could have a controller such as a computer or other smart interface that limits the number of treatments given time period, limits the total amount of treatment time in a given time period, automatically provides treatments, pulses the light source, or provides only particular wavelengths. The computer or other smart interface could keep a treatment record. The computer or other smart interface could communicate wirelessly, via the Internet or through other electronic means to automatically update the doctor&#39;s treatment records. Computer preferably can automatically adjust treatment time, wavelength or other factors based on patient input, doctor orders or other data.  
         [0032]     In an alternative embodiment, UV pack  20  or a portion of UV pack  20 , such as an end of light guide  22  is surgically attached to patient  10  or implanted in patient  10 .  
         [0033]     UV device  40  can be attached to patient  10  via port  12  to directly illuminate the blood. UV device  40  comprises housing  44 , light guide  42 , and UV light source  54 . Preferably, UV light source  54  is a medical grade UV light bulb. UV light source  54  preferably emits light in the UV-C range. Housing  44  preferably has a weighted base  56 . There are preferably electronics  52  such as a power supply or power cord for connection to a power source. UV device preferably has a manual on/off switch  58 . Electronics  52  also preferably include a controller, a timer or smart interface such as a computer.  
         [0034]     Catheter  60  with light guide  42  is inserted into port  12  to directly illuminate the blood. Light guide  42  may have connector  50  that mates with a connecter on port  12 . Light guide  42  may be one or more fiber optic strands in a flexible tube. Alternatively, light guide  42  may be a liquid core light guide  46  or other known light guide. In yet another alternative, UV light source is a LED or small light bulb at the end of a flexible tube adapted to be inserted through port  12  to directly illuminate the blood.  
         [0035]     In another embodiment of the invention, as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , UV light is administered under the tongue. The capillaries under the tongue are close to the surface. These capillaries are very sensitive. Capillary exposure of the mucus membrane is significantly greater than other exposed body surfaces. The greater capillary exposure allows for greater penetration of the ultraviolet spectrum. The UV device  140  comprises a mouthpiece  142  for holding and aligning the light source under the tongue. Mouthpiece  142  is inserted into patient&#39;s mouth under the tongue. The mouthpiece  142  has at least one aperture  144  through which tubing  146  is inserted. Tubing  146  is preferably plastic tubing and is preferably flexible. The tubing may be adjustably inserted through the at least one aperture  144  to allow for individual adjustment by the patient  10  or doctor to a preferred treatment location under the patient&#39;s tongue. Alternatively, tube  146  can be mounted in the preferred position such that each time the mouthpiece  142  is used, the light is administered at the same location. Preferably, mouthpiece  142  is molded to the shape of patient&#39;s  10  mouth. There are preferably fused silica fiber optic bundles  148  in the tubing  144 . Fused silica fiber optic bundles  148  are preferred because they do not emit any heat. The fiber optic bundles  148  preferably deliver UV-C light sublingually. In yet another alternative, UV light source is a LED or small light bulb at the end of the flexible tube adapted to directly irradiate the mucus membrane under the tongue. This delivery system is preferred for relatively young patients without a life threatening disease.  
         [0036]     UV device  40  allows UV light to be supplied directly to the blood. Instead of treating only a maximum of 250 cc of blood, larger amounts of blood or even the entire blood supply can be treated. The 5.6 L of blood in a human body circulates through the body about 3 times every minute. Thus, large amounts of blood can be treated with photoluminescence.  
         [0037]     Patient  10  can connect to the UV device  40 ,  140  when a treatment is needed. The UV device  40 ,  140  could be turned on and off manually. Alternatively, UV device  40 ,  140  could automatically turn off the light source after a set treatment time, such as 20 minutes. UV device  40 ,  140  could have a controller, computer or other smart interface that limits the number of treatments given time period, limits the total amount of treatment time in a given time period, automatically provides treatments, pulses the LEDs, or provides only particular wavelengths if the UV pack has LEDs of various wavelengths. The computer or other smart interface could keep a treatment record. The computer or other smart interface could communicate wirelessly, via the Internet or through other electronic means to automatically update the doctor&#39;s treatment records. The computer could automatically adjust the treatment time based on input from the patient, the doctor, treatment records, or other data.