Patent · US Expired

Medical probe apparatus with laser and/or microwave monolithic integrated circuit probe

US5556377A · kind A · utility

343Cited by
182References
24Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 22, 1993
Grant dateSep 17, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 22, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61N5/04
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A medical probe apparatus comprising a catheter having a stylet guide housing with at least one stylet port in a side thereof and stylet guide means for directing a flexible stylet outward through at least one stylet port and through intervening tissue to targeted tissues. The stylet guide has an integrated circuit or semiconductor apparatus at the distal end thereof to generate electromagnetic radiation directly at the point of the desired target tissue. The stylet includes at least one semiconductor or integrated circuit radiation emitter adapted for electromagnetic radiation when electrically energized. An elongated electrical insulator includes proximal and distal ends adapted to be introduced into a body opening, such as the urethra. First and second elongated electrical conductors are electrically isolated by the insulator. The distal ends of the electrical conductors are connected to the semiconductor, so that electrical energy coupled to the proximal ends of the conductors energizes the semiconductor to cause radiation. In a particular embodiment of the invention, the semiconductor radiation emitter(s) is (are) a laser(s). In another embodiment, it is a microwave oscillator…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.