A neural sensing system includes an interrogator that includes an optical head. The optical head is configured to transmit a light signal. The neural sensing system also includes a microprobe configured to contact tissue. The microprobe includes a transducer configured to receive the light signal and modulate the light signal with neural signal information sensed from the tissue. The microprobe also includes a retroreflector configured to reflect the modulated light signal back to the optical head of the interrogator.

An optical stimulation system includes a light source; an optical lead coupled, or coupleable, to the light source; at least one of a calibration table or a calibration formula, generated by a calibration procedure specifically using the light source and the optical lead of the optical stimulation system; and a control unit coupled, or coupleable, to the light source. The control module includes a memory to store the at least one of the calibration table or the calibration formula, and a processor coupled to the memory and configured for receiving a target light output level, using the at least one of the calibration table or the calibration formula to determine at least one operational parameter for generating the target light output level, and directing the light source, using the at least one operational parameter, to generate light at the target light output level.

A medical device that includes a carrier member, one or more operative components disposed in the carrier member, an optical fiber at least partly disposed in the carrier member, and at least one fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor array associated with the optical fiber and disposed in the carrier member. The carrier member includes an insertion end and side walls that contact the subject's body during positioning of the carrier member in the subject's body. The at least one FBG sensor array measures contact forces at one or both of the insertion end and along the side walls of the carrier member during positioning of the carrier member in the subject's body. A multi-core optical fiber configured for use in a medical device for positioning in a subject's body is also provided. A system and method for guiding positioning of a medical device in a subject's body is also provided.

An interoperative light therapy apparatus and method are disclosed. The apparatus includes an excitation light source, a plurality of light emitting devices and a plurality of light detecting fibers, wherein the plurality of light emitting devices produce a fluorescence light in cancerous cells of a patient treated with a photosensitizing medication. The fluorescence light is collected by the plurality of detector fibers and a digital spatial image of the cancerous cells is produced. The digital spatial image is useful for targeting the cancerous cells in a subsequent resection procedure. An interoperative light therapy apparatus is disclosed that further include a therapy light source that can deliver therapy light to the cancerous cells using the digital spatial image in the subsequent resection procedure.

A therapeutic lighted catheter that can provide therapeutic light within a biological fluid passage for purposes of treatment and/or curing of materials within the passage. The catheter includes an elongated shaft having a first end and a second end positioned opposite the first end, the elongated shaft including a lumen extending substantially therebetween, and at least one light emitting element positioned within the elongated shaft. A control system is in electronic communication with the light emitting element and provides power thereto such that the powered light emitting element applies a light within the biological fluid passage for therapy and/or curing. The catheter can also include a means to apply a curable material.

Systems and methods for phototherapeutic modulation of nitric oxide in mammalian tissue include use of a first wavelength and first radiant flux of light to stimulate enzymatic generation of nitric oxide, and use of a second wavelength and second radiant flux of light to stimulate release of nitric oxide from endogenous stores of nitric oxide. Pulsed light and/or partially non-overlapping light impingement windows may be used. Non-coherent light impinged on tissue may include a peak wavelength in a range of from 410 nm to 440 nm in the absence of light emissions having a peak wavelength of from 600 nm to 900 nm.

A system an d method of coupling light in and out of an optical member is described which includes transmitting at least one light beam within a wavelength range of infrared, visible or ultraviolet light using a light source; coupling the light beam into a proximal end of the optical member by means of at least one focussing optical component; collecting backscattered light using a distal end of the optical member and emitting the collected light at the proximal end of the optical member and wherein the light emitted by the optical member has at least partially a different angular sector than an angular sector of the light beam being coupled into the proximal end of the optical member, and detecting the collected light emitted from the proximal end of the optical member using at least one light detector.

A stent device including a stent coated with a photosensitizer, the stent including a pair of electrodes; and a circuit fixed to the stent, the circuit including a light emitting diode, a power receiving means for wirelessly receiving power from the outside, and converting the power to electric power; a second communicating means for receiving a control command from the outside; and a second control means for applying, based on the control command, the electric power to the electrodes causing an electric current to flow through the stent between the electrodes, the flow causing heating of the stent, and for controlling a temperature of the stent to provide hyperthermia therapy to a tumor, the second control means further for applying, based on the control command, the electric power to the light emitting diode to emit a predetermined wavelength of light to the photosensitizer to provide photodynamic therapy to the tumor.

A peripheral light-emitting linear light guide member is composed of an optical fiber including a core having an outer periphery surface exposed from a cladding at one end in a longitudinal direction, and a light-scattering member covering an entire periphery of the outer periphery surface at an exposed portion of the core over a predetermined axial length range. The light-scattering member scatters a light emitted from the outer periphery surface of the core. In the light-scattering member, light-scattering particles are dispersion-mixed with an optically transparent base material having a higher refractive index than a refractive index of the core. An amount of the light-scattering particles around an outer periphery of the core is higher at a distal end of the light-scattering member than at an end closer to the cladding.

The invention relates to an implantable illuminating device intended to be implanted in a living being with a view to locally illuminating a region of said living being, said device including a probe, said architecture being characterized in that it is produced from: an optical fiber that comprises a core, a cladding and a protective coating, a jacket, said architecture including: a plurality of successive segments along its longitudinal axis, each segment having a section containing a plurality of concentrically superposed layers, in which each segment includes a section containing a plurality of superposed layers that is different from the section of each adjacent segment.