Expandable laser catheter

Details Expandable laser catheter Expandable laser catheter

1998-08-13

2000-08-22

Peffley, Michael

Surgery

Instruments

Light application

606 7, A61B 1818

Patent

active

061065153

ABSTRACT:
Expandable laser catheters for utilizing laser energy to remove obstructions from body passages are described. In one embodiment, the laser catheter includes a shaftway having a distal end including a flexible portion configured in a series of radial folds. Multiple optical fibers, configured to transmit laser energy, extend along the shaftway and are attached to the flexible portion. An inflatable, ring-shaped balloon is attached to the catheter within the flexible portion. In use, the catheter is inserted into a body passage such as an artery, and advanced until the distal end is adjacent to an obstruction. The balloon is inflated to expand the flexible portion and to bring the optical fibers nearer the inner wall of the body passage. Laser energy is directed by the optical fibers toward targeted regions of the obstruction. As the catheter is advanced and the process repeated, a core is formed from the obstruction and contained within the flexible portion. The flexible portion is then contracted to hold the core, and the core is removed from the body passage by withdrawing the catheter.

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Journal of Biomedical Optics, Apr. 1999, pp. 236-347, Barry R. Masters, Early Development of Optical Low-Coherence Reflectometry and Some Recent Biomedical Applications, Department of Opthalmology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.

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