Vaginal speculum for photodynamic therapy and method of using the same

摘要

An improved vaginal speculum for photodynamic therapy of intraepithelial tissue and in particular vaginal, cervical and vulvar neoplasia utilizes a precisely and accurately positionable optic fiber through which a predetermined dose of light in the range of 620 to 700 nanometers is delivered over a controlled area which has been previously treated with photodynamic therapeutic substances. In particular, the neoplastic area has been treated with hematoporphyrin derivatives and other photosensitizers which are selectively taken into the cancerous tissue. Exposure to the appropriate wavelength laser light photoactivates the absorbed hematoporphyrins causing the release of singlet oxygen which internally oxidizes and ultimately causes cell death. The fiber optic tip from which the laser light is transmitted is precisely positioned within the body cavity at a predetermined distance from the intraepithelial neoplasia in order to obtain the appropriate spot size and location to minimize damage to healthy tissue and maximize damage to the selectively impregnated cancerous tissue.