Non-ablative photonic devices and related methods
A method of delivering light energy to a pathological tissue includes emitting light energy from a first optical element within a cannula, producing a substantially uniform irradiance profile from the light energy within the cannula, transmitting the light energy emitted from the first optical element through a second optical element in thermal contact with a distal end of the cannula to the pathological tissue without ablating the pathological tissue, and conducting thermal energy from the pathological tissue through the second optical element and to the cannula.
1 . A method of delivering light energy to the pathological tissue of a mammal at the skin or other external tissue, the method comprising:
emitting first light energy from a first optical element;
producing a substantially uniform first irradiance profile from the first light energy;
transmitting the first light energy along a first optical path from the first optical element through a distal end surface of a second optical element directly, and in a first axial direction, to a surface of the pathological tissue in a non-invasive manner without ablating the pathological tissue;
emitting second light energy from a third optical element;
producing a substantially uniform second irradiance profile from the second light energy; and
transmitting the second light energy along a second optical path from the third optical element through a distal end surface of a fourth optical element directly, and in the first axial direction, to the surface of the pathological tissue in a non-invasive manner without ablating the pathological tissue;
wherein the first light energy and the second light energy do not overlap one another at the surface of the pathological tissue and do overlap one another at a depth below the surface of the pathological tissue.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first optical element and/or the third optical element comprises an optical fiber and the second optical element and/or the fourth optical element is in direct, non-invasive contact with the surface of the pathological tissue.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second optical element and/or the fourth optical element comprises a cylindrical sapphire rod.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating the first light energy and/or the second light energy with a laser.
5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating the first light energy and/or the second light energy with a light-emitting diode (LED).
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first irradiance profile and/or the second irradiance profile has a non-circular cross-sectional shape.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first irradiance profile and/or the second irradiance profile has a hexagonal cross-sectional shape or a square cross-sectional shape.
8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising directing the first light energy through one or more lenses positioned between the first optical element and the second optical element.
9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising directing the second light energy through one or more lenses positioned between the third optical element and the fourth optical element.
10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
delivering nanoparticles to the pathological tissue such that the nanoparticles accumulate at the pathological tissue;
transmitting the first light energy and the second light energy to the nanoparticles at the pathological tissue; and
heating the nanoparticles with the first light energy and the second light energy to destroy the pathological tissue without harming healthy tissue adjacent to the pathological tissue.