The objective of this SBIR proposal is to improve the treatment options for laryngeal carcinoma by developing a fiber enabled CO2 laser system for laryngeal minimally invasive surgery. Current treatments involve radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgical procedures either through open surgery or through a laryngoscope. The surgeon has several operating tools at his disposal. These include cold steel surgical instruments, as well as laser beams, which can be used through the laryngoscope. The CO2 laser is the predominant laser tool for these types of surgeries. There is currently no adequate fiber for delivering CO2 laser for these medical procedures. Accordingly, CO2 laser systems utilize rigid lens and mirror systems to deliver the laser beam to the treated tissue. Introduction of a fiber enabled CO2 laser system will enable tangential cutting, easier manipulation of tissue, higher precision, and most importantly, the ability to reach previously inaccessible tissue, for example in the lower airway. While several different fibers have been tried for CO2 laser delivery, including chalcogenide, polycrystalline and hollow-core metal-coated fibers, none of them have been able to fulfill the entire set of specifications for this application. OmniGuide Communications (OGCI) has developed a new approach for the fabrication of photonic bandgap fibers, based on technology it has exclusively licensed and transferred from MIT. In this Project (Phase I and II) OGCI will leverage its unique technology to develop a fiber that will meet the specifications for laryngological surgery. Phase I will focus on the development of a prototype fiber. Phase II will focus on system integration. Our commercial front, OGCI will collaborate with Lumenis, the world leader in medical laser systems. Our academic partners include both MGH and MEEI. The final goal of this Project is to bring a fiber enabled CO2 laser system for laryngology to market.
