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19
Apr

2024 | Specialized Optical Fiber Technologies in Medical Applications

Specialized optical fibers are pivotal in advancing medical technologies, particularly enhancing minimally invasive procedures, laser treatments, biosensing, and diagnostics. These fibers enable visualization of internal organs with minimal incisions by delivering and transmitting light, thus facilitating quicker patient recovery. Their capability to convey high-powered laser light precisely targets areas for tumor removal, internal bleeding cessation, or delicate eye surgeries, minimizing surrounding tissue damage. Furthermore, these fibers can be engineered as sensors to detect physiological parameters such as temperature, pressure, and blood oxygen levels, offering advantages like minimal invasiveness and immunity to electromagnetic interference. In diagnostics, they enable techniques like remote fluorescence spectroscopy for early disease detection.

The ongoing research and development in optical fiber technology promises to refine medical procedures further, making them more precise, less invasive, and more effective, thereby significantly improving patient outcomes.

Key Medical Applications of Specialized Fibers

In ophthalmology, optical fibers are extensively used in laser therapies for conditions like retinal and glaucoma therapies. They enable precise energy distribution across the treatment area, enhancing the effectiveness of procedures such as diabetic Macular Edema treatment, Laser Photocoagulation for Diabetic Retinopathy, Vitreoretinal Surgery, and more.

For minimally invasive surgeries, specialized optical fibers are essential components in endo-photocoagulation laser probes used by retina specialists. These probes are specifically designed to deliver laser energy precisely during surgical procedures, ensuring accuracy and effectiveness in treating eye conditions.

Moreover, fiber-based laser delivery procedures benefit from advanced fiber optic technologies that offer high-performance solutions. Fibers with pure silica cores support a broad range of wavelengths, making them suitable for medical laser power delivery applications across different wavelengths from visible to 2.2 µm.

Overall, using specialized optical fibers in ophthalmology and minimally invasive surgeries enhances various medical procedures’ precision, safety, and effectiveness, making them indispensable tools in modern healthcare settings.

In medical applications, specific fiber types used include:

  • Borosilicate Fibers: These fibers offer significant advantages across various applications at a lower cost, excelling in light transmission and allowing for tight packing in fiber bundles.
  • Silver Halide Fibers: These fibers are used in medical applications for their unique properties.
  • Specialty Optical Fibers: Custom optical fibers tailored for diverse light delivery applications are utilized in medical settings. These fibers have core sizes ranging from 20um to 2,000um.

These fiber types are commonly employed in medical applications due to their specialized characteristics and suitability for various medical procedures.

Interested in Specialized Fibers?

At Armadillo, we are driven by innovation. We aim to push the boundaries with our customer-centric approach, anticipating their pain-points and resolving them with cutting-edge solutions. One of our medical-grade fiber solutions is the ArmD™ UV NSS, a silica/silica fiber with a hermetic carbon layer. This type is optimized for the UVC spectral range, offering enhanced polarization resistance and increased stability. It features a silica glass core and a fluorine-doped silica cladding, with a hermetic carbon layer between the cladding and the polyimide jacket. This system is suitable for a broad range of applications in the medical sector, from diagnostics to laser delivery. However, this is far from the only specialized fiber system in our product offering that suits the medical industry. Contact us today if you would like to learn more.

References & Further Reading

[1] https://www.ofsoptics.com/medical/ophthalmology/

[2] https://coherentinc.my.site.com/Coherent/1404842?cclcl=en_US

[3] https://lumenis.co.uk/vision/products/surgical-probes/

[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3381046/

[5] https://www.fujikura.co.uk/products/felpof_plastic-optical-fibre

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