Patent Application
20230398371
This invention generally relates to a photobiomodulation therapy apparatus, and more specifically to a photo therapy apparatus for treating oral mucositis in cancer patients.
Oral Mucositis is a common side effect of cancer treatment (i.e. chemotherapy and radiation therapy). Oral Mucositis is the severe ulceration or the oral mucosa which is often debilitating, causing patients to stop eating, and can lead to severe complications and morbidity. Photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy (a therapeutic dose of light to the tissue) is considered effective for preventing and treating oral mucositis incidence and severity. Currently, only in office PBM treatments are available which require patients to travel to an office every single day to get this potentially lifesaving treatment. It is thus the goal of the present invention to provide a convenient photobiomodulation therapy apparatus for self-administered, home use photobiomodulation therapy for patients at risk of, or suffering from Oral Mucositis. The photobiomodulation therapy apparatus comprises one or more light sources that are integrated with a molar bite block, on which a patent will secure with their 1st, 2nd, and pre-molars. The emitting light will irradiate the oral mucosa (i.e. buccal mucosa, tongue, soft palate, etc.), which will reduce the incidence and the severity of oral mucositis, and providing better quality of live for cancer patients.
The photobiomodulation therapy apparatus comprises one or more light sources that are integrated with a molar bite block for providing photobiomodulation therapy to the oral mucositis of cancer patients suffering from or at risk of Oral Mucositis. The light sources can be either internal, or external to the bite block, and either lasers, light emitting diodes (LEDs), lamps, or any other types of light sources which produce therapeutic light in a desired wavelength range. The bight block is inserted into the patient's mouth at the 1st, 2nd and pre-molar locations. The geometry of the bite block ensures the patient's oral cavity is open wide enough to provide enough “optical space” to allow the light to irradiate the target tissue effectively. The therapeutic light is delivered through the bite block to key oral mucosa, such as buccal mucosa (bilateral), tongue (dorsum), side of tongue (bilateral), tongue (ventral)/floor of mouth, hard palate, and soft palate. The delivered light produces a photochemical and photophysical process e.g. increase the blood flow and circulation. This photochemical and photophysical process helps to reduce the incidence and severity of oral mucositis in cancer patients and help improve outcomes of cancer therapy.
The accompanying figures, where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views and which together with the detailed description below are incorporated in and form part of the specification, serve to further illustrate various embodiments and to explain various principles and advantages all in accordance with the present invention.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
Before describing in detail embodiments that are in accordance with the present invention, it should be observed that the embodiments reside primarily in combinations of method steps and apparatus components related to an intra-oral light block for performing photo-biomodulation. Accordingly, the apparatus components and method steps have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.
In this document, relational terms such as first and second, top and bottom, and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element proceeded by “comprises . . . a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises the element.
A first exemplary embodiment of the photo therapy apparatus is shown in
Depending on the output wavelength of the light source 101, the therapeutic light can provide a variety of treatment effects. The ultraviolet (UV)-blue light, at a wavelength of 370 to 490 nm, has high photon energy, which can help to produce singlet oxygen and effectively destroy bacteria. The red light, at a wavelength of 620 to 700 nm, can penetrate human tissue to a depth of about 8-10 mm. Skin layers, because of their high blood and water content, easily absorb red light, which helps to increase blood circulation and decrease inflammation/irritation. The near-infrared (NIR) light, at a wavelength of >700 nm, has been demonstrated to be beneficial for increasing cytochrome oxidase activity and ATP (adenosine triphosphate) content as well as promoting wound healing and relieving pain. In addition, the near-infrared light penetrates to a depth of about 30-40 mm, which makes it more effective for deep tissue. The light source 101 may comprise multiple light sources with different output wavelengths, each wavelength matching with the absorption band of a specific chromophore (water, hemoglobin, lipid, protein, etc.) of the subject oral mucosa.
In a slight variation of the present embodiment, an optical component 109 is inserted between front of the light source 101 in the bite block 101 for controlling the intensity, distribution, and angle of the therapeutic light. Such optical components can be reflective, refractive, diffractive, or transmissive elements, holographic diffuser, nanooptics, meta-optics, micro-lens array and digital optics for changing the direction and divergence of the light. As one example, the holographic diffuser or the micro-lens array may produce an unevenly distributed light intensity. This intensity modulation will help to further improve the therapeutic effect of the light source 101.
An additional variation of the present embodiment, a heat management component (not shown) is inserted behind the light source 101 in the bite block 101 to control overheating and prolong the treatment time as some of the treatment protocols may require. Such heat management components can be a heat sink at the light source 101, a thermal electric cooler, and convection (either mechanical or solid state). As one example, a fan can suck the hot air from inside the bite block 100 and exhaust out of the exit tube 103.
An additional variation of the present embodiment, an image capture system (not shown is integrated into the bite block 100 which can take images of a patient's oral mucosa.
In the foregoing specification, specific embodiments of the present invention have been described. However, one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the claims below. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of present invention. The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all the claims. The invention is defined solely by the appended claims including any amendments made during the pendency of this application and all equivalents of those claims as issued.
This application claims inventions which were disclosed in Provisional Patent Application No. 63/350,897, filed Jun. 10, 2022, entitled “INTRA-ORAL LIGHT BLOCK FOR PERFORMING PHOTO-BIOMODULATION”. The benefit under 35 USC § 119(e) of the above-mentioned United States Provisional Application is hereby claimed, and the aforementioned application is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63350897 | Jun 2022 | US |
