Illumination devices for inducing biological effects
Illumination devices for impinging light on tissue, for example within a body cavity of a patient, to induce various biological effects are disclosed. Biological effects may include at least one of inactivating and/or inhibiting growth of one or more pathogens, upregulating a local immune response, increasing endogenous stores of nitric oxide, releasing nitric oxide from endogenous stores, and inducing an anti-inflammatory effect. Wavelengths of light are selected based on intended biological effects for one or more of targeted tissue types and targeted pathogens. Light treatments may provide multiple pathogenic biological effects, either with light of a single wavelength or with light having multiple wavelengths. Devices for light treatments are disclosed that provide light doses for inducing biological effects on various targeted pathogens and tissues with increased efficacy and reduced cytotoxicity. Particular illumination devices are disclosed that provide safe and effective treatments for upper respiratory tract infections, including coronaviridae and orthomyxoviridae.
1. An illumination device comprising:
at least one light source arranged to irradiate light on tissue within a body cavity, the light configured to induce a biological effect, the biological effect comprising at least one of altering a concentration of one or more pathogens within the body cavity and altering growth of the one or more pathogens within the body cavity;
a light guide comprising a hollow core, wherein the light guide is configured to receive the light from the at least one light source and the hollow core defines a direct path for at least some of the light to travel entirely through the light guide without being internally reflected; and
a light guide positioner that is configured to secure the light guide at least partially within the body cavity for providing the light to the tissue within the body cavity, wherein the light guide positioner comprises a mouthpiece that is configured to engage with one or more surfaces of an oral cavity of a user, and wherein the mouthpiece comprises one or more bite guards for protecting and securing the light guide.
2. The illumination device of claim 1 , wherein the biological effect comprises both altering the concentration of the one or more pathogens within the body cavity and altering the growth of the one or more pathogens within the body cavity.
3. The illumination device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more pathogens comprise at least one of a virus, a bacteria, and a fungus.
4. The illumination device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more pathogens comprise coronaviridae.
5. The illumination device of claim 4 , wherein the coronaviridae comprises SARS-CoV-2.
6. The illumination device of claim 1 , wherein the biological effect further comprises at least one of upregulating a local immune response within the body cavity, stimulating at least one of enzymatic generation of nitric oxide to increase endogenous stores of nitric oxide, and releasing nitric oxide from endogenous stores of nitric oxide.
7. The illumination device of claim 1 , wherein the biological effect comprises inactivating the one or more pathogens that are in a cell-free environment in the body cavity.
8. The illumination device of claim 1 , wherein the biological effect comprises inhibiting replication of the one or more pathogens that are in a cell-associated environment in the body cavity.
9. The illumination device of claim 1 , further comprising a tongue depressor that is configured to depress the user's tongue for providing the light to the oropharynx.
10. The illumination device of claim 9 , wherein the tongue depressor is formed by a portion of the light guide.
11. The illumination device of claim 1 , further comprising a housing that includes the at least one light source and wherein the light guide and the light guide positioner are configured to be removably attached to the housing.
12. The illumination device of claim 1 , further comprising a port that is configured to at least one of charge the illumination device and access data that is stored in the illumination device.
13. The illumination device of claim 1 , wherein the light includes a first light characteristic comprising a peak wavelength in a range of 410 nanometers (nm) to 440 nm.
14. The illumination device of claim 1 , wherein irradiating the light to the tissue within the body cavity comprises administering a dose of light in a range from 0.5 joules per square centimeter (J/cm 2 ) to 100 J/cm 2 .
15. The illumination device of claim 1 , wherein irradiating the light to the tissue within the body cavity comprises administering a dose of light with a light therapeutic index in a range from 2 to 250, the light therapeutic index being defined as a dose concentration that reduces tissue viability by 25% divided by a dose concentration that reduces cellular percentage of the one or more pathogens by 50%.
16. An illumination device comprising:
at least one light source arranged to irradiate light on tissue of an oropharynx of a user to induce a biological effect, the biological effect comprising at least one of altering a concentration of one or more pathogens and altering growth of the one or more pathogens;
a mouthpiece that is configured to engage with one or more surfaces of an oral cavity of the user; and
a light guide comprising light-blocking walls that define boundaries of a hollow light transmissive pathway that provides a direct path through the light guide for the light, wherein a portion of the light guide forms a tongue depressor that is configured to depress the user's tongue for providing the light to the oropharynx.
17. The illumination device of claim 16 , wherein the biological effect comprises altering the concentration of the one or more pathogens and altering the growth of the one or more pathogens.
18. The illumination device of claim 16 , wherein the one or more pathogens comprise at least one of a virus, a bacteria, and a fungus.
19. The illumination device of claim 16 , wherein the one or more pathogens comprise coronaviridae.
20. The illumination device of claim 19 , wherein the coronaviridae comprises SARS-CoV-2.
21. The illumination device of claim 16 , wherein the biological effect further comprises at least one of upregulating a local immune response, stimulating at least one of enzymatic generation of nitric oxide to increase endogenous stores of nitric oxide, and releasing nitric oxide from endogenous stores of nitric oxide.
22. The illumination device of claim 16 , wherein the mouthpiece is configured to expand the oral cavity of the user.
23. The illumination device of claim 16 , wherein the mouthpiece is configured to be removably attached to the light guide.
24. The illumination device of claim 16 , wherein the mouthpiece comprises one or more bite guards for protecting and securing the light guide.
25. The illumination device of claim 16 , wherein the light comprises a peak wavelength in a range from 410 nanometers (nm) to 440 nm and irradiating the light on the tissue of the oropharynx comprises administering a dose of light in a range from 0.5 joules per square centimeter (J/cm 2 ) to 100 J/cm 2 .
26. The illumination device of claim 16 , wherein the one or more pathogens comprise coronaviridae and irradiating the light on the tissue of the oropharynx comprises administering a dose of light with a light therapeutic index in a range from 2 to 250, the light therapeutic index being defined as a dose concentration that reduces tissue viability by 25% divided by a dose concentration that reduces cellular percentage of the one or more pathogens by 50%.
27. The illumination device of claim 16 , wherein the mouthpiece and the light guide are parts of a single structure.