Angioplasty catheter

Claim 2

A laser angioplasty catheter device comprising a catheter having a distal end portion adapted to be inserted within a blood vessel and a proximal end portion, an abutment extending radially from the outer surface of the catheter adjacent the distal end portion thereof, a fiber optic extending within the interior of the catheter from the proximal end portion thereof to adjacent the distal end portion of the catheter to deliver laser energy into the blood vessel when the fiber optic is connected to a source of laser energy, an inflatable bladder mounted on the catheter adjacent the distal end portion thereof disposed substantially opposite to the abutment, and means for controllably inflating the bladder when the device is disposed in a blood vessel to enable the inflated bladder to contact the inner surface of the blood vessel and urge the abutment against the inner surface of the blood vessel adjacent thereto, whereby the laser energy is adapted to cause excision of undesired material within the blood vessel when the distal end portion of the catheter is disposed adjacent the undesired material without the laser energy being applied to the inner surface of the blood vessel

Claim 3

A laser angioplasty device in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising means connected to the end portion of the fiber optic disposed adjacent the distal end portion of the catheter for focusing the laser energy toward the undesired material within the blood vessel.

Claim 4

A laser angioplasty device in accordance with claim 2 in which the means for focusing the laser energy comprises means for refracting the laser energy.

Claim 5

A laser angioplasty device in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising a lumen having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion and being disposed within the catheter, the proximal end portion of the lumen being adapted to be connected to a source of reduced pressure less than the ambient pressure, the distal end portion of the lumen having a port adjacent the distal end portion of the catheter, the port beig adaped to receive undesired material subjected to laser energy when connected to the source of reduced pressure.

Claim 6

A laser angioplasty device in accordance with claim 1 in which the means for controllably inflating the bladder comprises a lumen having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion and extending within the catheter with its distal end portion being connected to the bladder, the proximal end portion of the lumen being adapted for connection to a source of fluid pressure for inflating the bladder.

Claim 7

A laser angioplasty device in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising a filament extending along the length of the catheter and through the distal end portion thereof, the catheter being rotatably disposed about the filament and adapted to translate and rotate with respect to the filament whereby the catheter is adapted to be translated and to be rotated with a blood vessel.

Claim 8

A catheter device for use in removing undesired material from a duct within a patient's body comprising: a catheter adapted to be inserted within a duct in the patient's body, the catheter having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, means disposed adjacent the distal end portion of the catheter for intersecting and releasing undesired material from the interior of the duct in the patient's body when the distal end portion of the catheter is disposed adjacent to the undesired material, an inflatable bladder mounted on the catheter adjacent the distal end portion thereof and disposed substantially opposite the intersecting and releasing means, means for controllably inflating the bladder when the device is disposed in the duct to enable the inflated bladder to contact the inner surface of the duct and urge the distal end portion of the catheter against the inner surface of the duct adjacent thereto, and an abutment extending radially from the outer surface of the catheter adjacent the distal end portion thereof and disposed substantially opposite to the inflatable bladder, the bladder when inflated being adapted to urge the abutment against the inner surface of the duct, whereby the means for intersecting and releasing the undesired material is positioned adjacent to the inner surface of the duct.

Claim 9

A catheter device for use in removing undesired material from a duct within a patient's body comprising: a catheter adapted to be inserted within a duct in the patient's body, the catheter having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, means disposed adjacent the distal end portion of the catheter for intersecting and releasing undesired material from the interior of the duct in the patient's body when the distal end portion of the catheter is disposed adjacent to the undesired material, an inflatable bladder mounted on the catheter adjacent the distal end portion thereof and disposed substantially opposite the intersecting and releasing means, means for controllably inflating the bladder when the device is disposed in the duct to enable the inflated bladder to contact the inner surface of the duct and urge the distal end portion of the catheter against the inner surface of the duct adjacent thereto, and an abutment extending radially from the outer surface of the catheter adjacent the distal end portion thereof and disposed substantially opposite to the inflatable bladder, the bladder when inflated being adapted to urge the abutment against the inner surface of the duct, whereby the means for intersecting and releasing the undesired material is positioned adjacent to the inner surface of the duct.

Claim 10

The catheter device according to claim 7, wherein the abutment slopes gradually away from the catheter to an apex at the most distal end of the catheter, and the means for intersecting and releasing the undesired material is situated in the proximity of the abutment such that when the abutment is urged against the inner surface of the duct, the intersecting and releasing means is directed towared the center line of the duct.

Claim 11

The catheter device according to claim 8 and further comprising a lumen disposed within the catheter and having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion which is situated in proximity to the means for intersecting and releasing undesired material.