EP0325836A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Laser tipped catheter
Assignee: CR Bard Inc
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Filing: 1988-10-27
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-10-27
Abstract
Abstract A laser catheter for insertion in a body passage and for treatment of a relatively inaccessible location with laser radiation in a preselected first wavelength range, typically in the mid-infrared band, that is outside the transmission passband of silica optical fibers. The laser catheter includes an elongated flexible tube, an optical fiber for carrying optical pumping laser radiation in a second wavelength range through the flexible tube, and a laser attached to the flexible tube at or near the distal end thereof and responsive to optical pumping laser radiation in the second wavelength range for generating output laser radiation in the first wavelength range. The laser can comprise a cylindrical laser crystal attached to the distal end of the flexible tube and having laser mirrors on opposite end faces thereof. The laser crystal can be a suitable host material doped with a rare earth ion selected to produce the desired output wavelength. A preferred laser crystal is erbium-doped YAG, which produces an output at 2.94 micrometers. The optical pumping radiation is supplied from an external pump laser, which is preferably an alexandrite laser operating in the wavelength range of 0.7 to 0.8 micrometer.
Inventors
- 👤 Edward L. Sinofsky
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 17:58
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/18; A61B18/20; A61B18/22; A61B18/24; A61B18/245; A61B2018/2255; A61B2018/2261; A61B2018/2272
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
80 words
A laser catheter for insertion in a body passage or cavity and for treatment with laser radiation in a first wavelength range, comprising: an elongated tube having a distal end and a proximal end; optical waveguide means for carrying laser radiation in a second wavelength range through said tube; and laser means attached to said tube at the distal end thereof and responsive to laser radiation in said second wavelength range for generating laser radiation in said first wavelength range.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
80 words
A laser catheter for insertion in a body passage or cavity and for treatment with laser radiation in a first wavelength range, comprising: an elongated tube having a distal end and a proximal end; optical waveguide means for carrying laser radiation in a second wavelength range through said tube; and laser means attached to said tube at the distal end thereof and responsive to laser radiation in said second wavelength range for generating laser radiation in said first wavelength range.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
A laser catheter as defined in claim 1 wherein said optical waveguide means comprises a silica optical fiber having a prescribed passband for transmission of laser radiation without substantial attenuation and wherein said second wavelength range is within said prescribed passband.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
A laser catheter as defined in claim 2 wherein said first wavelength range is in the mid-infrared band of wavelengths.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
59 words
A laser catheter as defined in claim 3 wherein said laser means comprises a cylindrical laser crystal having mirrors on opposite end faces thereof so as to produce a stable lasing cavity, said laser crystal being mounted to said tube so that laser radiation carried through said optical fiber is coupled through one end face of said laser crystal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
A laser catheter as defined in claim 4 wherein said laser crystal comprises a host material doped with a rare earth ion for providing laser radiation in a wavelength range between 1.0 and 3.5 micrometers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
A laser catheter as defined in claim 4 wherein said laser crystal includes a flat mirror on a proximal end face thereof and a curved mirror on a distal end face thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
A laser catheter as defined in claim 4 including matching means for efficiently coupling laser radiation in said second wavelength range to said laser crystal by substantially matching the radiation pattern from said optical fiber to a lasing region in said laser crystal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
A laser catheter as defined in claim 7 wherein said matching means comprises a section of said optical fiber near the distal end thereof adjacent to said laser crystal that is tapered to a larger diameter than the remainder of said optical fiber.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
68 words
A laser catheter as defined in claim 3 wherein said laser means comprises an annular laser crystal having inner and outer cylindrical surfaces with mirrors thereon, and said laser crystal further including means for redirecting laser radiation carried through said optical fiber to the inner cylindrical surface of said laser crystal, whereby said laser crystal provides laser radiation in said first wavelength range through said outer cylindrical surface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
A laser catheter as defined in claim 9 wherein said means for redirecting laser radiation comprises a reflecting surface within said annular laser crystal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
11 A laser catheter as defined in claim 10 wherein said reflecting surface has a conical shape.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
A laser catheter as defined in claim 9 wherein said means for redirecting laser radiation comprises a section of said optical fiber within said annular laser crystal that is tapered to a smaller diameter than the remainder of said optical fiber.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
A laser catheter as defined in claim 1 wherein said second wavelength range is 0.7 to 0.8 micrometer and said first wavelength range is 1.0 to 3.5 micrometers.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
50 words
A laser catheter as defined in claim 2 wherein said laser means comprises a laser crystal mounted to said tube, said laser crystal being capable of generating laser radiation in the mid-infrared band of wavelengths in response to optical pumping radiation in the 0.7 to 0.8 micrometer band of wavelengths.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
A laser catheter as defined in claim 14 wherein said laser crystal comprises an erbium-doped host material selected from the group consisting of YAG, YLF and YSGG.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
A laser catheter as defined in claim 14 wherein said laser crystal comprises a holmium-doped host material selected from the group consisting of YAG, YLF and YSGG.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
31 words
A laser catheter as defined in claim 14 further including a laser source coupled to the proximal end of said optical fiber for generating laser radiation in said second wavelength range.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
A laser catheter as defined in claim 17 wherein said laser source comprises an alexandrite laser.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
a laser catheter as defined in claim 17 wherein said laser source comprises a laser diode.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
A laser catheter as defined in claim 17 wherein said laser source is tunable over a range of wavelengths.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
A laser catherer as defined in claim 1 wherein said tube has a suitable size and flexibility for manipulation through a blood vessel.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said optical waveguide means has a prescribed passband for transmission of laser radiation without substantial attenuation and wherein said second wavelength range is within said prescribed passband.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
88 words
Apparatus for insertion in a body passage or cavity and for treatment with radiation in a selected first wavelength range, comprising: an elongated tube having a distal end and a proximal end; optical waveguide means for carrying laser radiation in a second wavelength range through said tube; and means for generating radiation in said first wavelength range for treatment, said generating means being affixed to said tube at the distal end thereof and being responsive to radiation in said second wavelength range carried through said optical waveguide means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
88 words
Apparatus for insertion in a body passage or cavity and for treatment with radiation in a selected first wavelength range, comprising: an elongated tube having a distal end and a proximal end; optical waveguide means for carrying laser radiation in a second wavelength range through said tube; and means for generating radiation in said first wavelength range for treatment, said generating means being affixed to said tube at the distal end thereof and being responsive to radiation in said second wavelength range carried through said optical waveguide means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
76 words
A catheter assembly for treatment with radiation in a first wavelength range, comprising: a catheter adapted for insertion in a body passage or cavity, said catheter having a distal end and a proximal end; optical waveguide means for carrying radiation in a second wavelength range through said catheter; and means attached to said catheter at the distal end thereof and responsive to radiation in said second wavelength range for generating radiation in said first wavelength range.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
76 words
A catheter assembly for treatment with radiation in a first wavelength range, comprising: a catheter adapted for insertion in a body passage or cavity, said catheter having a distal end and a proximal end; optical waveguide means for carrying radiation in a second wavelength range through said catheter; and means attached to said catheter at the distal end thereof and responsive to radiation in said second wavelength range for generating radiation in said first wavelength range.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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