Currently, commercial endoscopes use visible glass fiberoptics and operate in the visible region of the spectrum. High-energy lasers have shown promise as a means for developing localized blood coagulation with close control over the penetration of tissue necrosis. C02 laser transmitting at 10.6 microns has the potential for cautery in the gastrointestinal tract and thus can reduce and possibly avoid the need for expensive coagulants and blood transfusion.Currently, infrared transmitting glasses (2-14 microns region) are commercially available. They must be fiberized to diameters such that they can be coupled with commercial (visible) endoscopes.Phase I is a feasibility study in which commercial infrared transmitting glasses and polymers are screened and evaluated for possible impurities and toxic constituents, and their fiberizing characteristics are established. Suitable materials will be made into fiberoptics, and their potential as infrared fiberoptics for C02 laser endoscopy will be evaluated. Problems associated with coupling the infrared fiberoptics with commercial (visible) endoscopes will be established.Phase II will be the development, test, and evaluation effort for an infrared fiberoptic C02 laser endoscopy system. Its potential for commercialization will be explored in Phase 111.Institute Of Arthritis, Diabetes, And Digestive And Kidney Diseases
