A method of preparing a laser delivery fiber for a therapeutic, treatment, or surgical procedure includes steps of providing an optical fiber having a pre-formed tip; placing a temporary protective sleeve over the pre-formed tip; inserting the optical fiber with the protective sleeve through a handpiece; and, before beginning the therapeutic, treatment, or surgical procedure, removing the protective sleeve from the optical fiber.

The present disclosure relates to a fiber and a laser probe assembly with a probe tip that houses the fiber. In certain aspects, the fiber includes a core, an outer cladding surrounding the core, and an end face at a proximal and/or distal end of the fiber. The core is configured to transmit a laser light beam while the core and the outer cladding are both configured to transmit an illumination light. In certain aspects, a surface area of the end face corresponding to a cross-section of at least the outer cladding is treated with a roughening or polishing process to modulate an illumination light output angle of the fiber. Using a fiber that is configured to transmit a laser light beam as well as a wide-angle illumination light allows for a more compact fiber and probe tip, allowing for medical procedures that require a narrower probe.

The present application relates to a shape memory alloy hypotube as well as use thereof in a blood vessel optical fiber guide wire. The hypotube comprises several spiral coils. This hypotube is made from a shape memory alloy such that its diameter varies over temperature. Thus, it can closely wrap an axial fiber disposed therein. Through phase change properties and shape memory properties of the memory alloy, the inner diameter of the hypotube changes over temperature. The hypotube produces two functions: making a wrapping expand and tight binding fixed. The shape memory alloy hypotube can improve the strength and safety of optical fiber guide wire. The hypotube can easily enter the blood vessel of human body. Further, the conventional winding process can be simplified.

A steerable laser probe may include an actuation structure, a nosecone fixed to the actuation structure by one or more links and one or more link pins, a flexible housing tube, and an optic fiber disposed in the flexible housing tube and the actuation structure. A compression of the actuation structure may be configured to gradually curve the flexible housing tube and the optic fiber. A decompression of the actuation structure may be configured to gradually straighten the flexible housing tube and the optic fiber.

In one aspect of the present disclosure, a laser fiber may include an optical fiber. The optical fiber may include a proximal portion. The optical fiber also may include a distal portion having a distal end. The optical fiber may be configured to transmit laser energy from the proximal portion to the distal portion for emission of the laser energy from the distal end. The optical fiber also may include a distal tip surrounding the distal portion to protect the distal portion. The distal tip may include a sheet glass material having a laser energy emitting surface. The laser energy emitting surface may be defined by a chemically-strengthened surface layer.

A steerable laser probe may include a handle having a handle distal end and a handle proximal end, a housing sleeve disposed in an inner bore of the handle configured to project a distance from the handle distal end, an optic fiber disposed in the housing sleeve, a shape memory sleeve disposed over a distal end of the optic fiber, and a light source configured to connect to a proximal end of the optic fiber. The shape memory sleeve may be configured to curve the distal end of the optic fiber at an angle, e.g., 90 degrees, when the shape memory sleeve is not contained within the housing sleeve.

A single-use illuminated laser probe may include an optic fiber, an illumination optic fiber, a handle, a hypodermic tube, a transitory connector, and an illumination optic fiber housing. The optic fiber may be disposed in the hypodermic tube, the handle, and the transitory connector. The illumination optic fiber may be disposed in the hypodermic tube, the handle, and the illumination optic fiber housing. A user may insert the transitory connector in an optic fiber fixture to transmit laser light through the optic fiber. A user may insert the illumination optic fiber housing in an illumination optic fiber fixtures to transmit illumination light through the illumination optic fiber.

One described aspect is an optical fiber comprising: a fiber core that extends along a fiber axis, is configured to transmit a laser energy along the fiber axis, and terminates at a distal end; a first cladding that extends along the fiber axis, is adjacent to the fiber core, and terminates at a distal end; a coating that extends along the fiber axis and terminates at a distal end, wherein the coating is a gold coating; a second cladding that surrounds a portion of the gold coating along the fiber axis, and terminates at a distal end; an outer jacket that extends along the fiber axis and terminates at a distal end; and a fiber tip. Associated laser systems are also disclosed.

A method of dermocosmetic treatment for skin tissue includes a plurality of treatment laser light sources which are in communication with a rectangular-shaped optical fiber; the optical fiber includes a proximal end to receive laser light from the plurality of treatment laser light sources and a distal end to transmit overlapping laser light to the area of skin tissue to be treated; the plurality of treatment of laser light sources are activated to impinge one or more rectangular-shaped laser light images within one or more rectangular-shaped areas.

A steerable laser probe may include a handle, an actuation structure of the handle, a housing tube, a flexible tube, an optic fiber, and a wire having a pre-formed curve. The flexible tube may be disposed within the housing tube wherein a distal end of the flexible tube projects out from a distal end of the housing tube. The optic fiber may be disposed within an inner bore of the handle, the housing tube, and the flexible tube. The wire may be disposed within the housing tube.