Design of a light delivery system for the photodynamic treatment of the Crohn's disease

Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease originating from an overwhelming response of the mucosal immune system. Low dose photodynamic therapy (PDT) may modify the mucosal immune response and thus serve as a therapy for Crohn's disease. Most patients with Crohn's disease show inflammatory reactions in the terminal ileum or colon where PDT treatment is feasible by low-invasive endoscopic techniques. However, the tube like geometry of the colon, it's folding, and the presences of multiple foci of Crohn's lesions along the colon require the development of adequate light delivery techniques. We present a prototype light delivery system for endoscopic clinical PDT in patients with Crohn's disease. The system is based on a cylindrical light diffuser inserted into a diffusing balloon catheter. Homogenous irradiation is performed with a 4 W diode laser at 635 nm. Light dosimetry is performed using a calibrated integrating sphere, The system can be used with conventional colonoscopes and colonovideoscopes having a 3.8 mm diameter working channel. The feasibility of PDT in colon with our prototype was demonstrated in first clinical trials. © 2007 SPIE-OSA.