Catheter assembly

Claim 2

A catheter assembly, comprising: an outer catheter for insertion into a body channel, said outer catheter having distal and proximal ends; an inner catheter positionable within said outer catheter and having a distal end that is extendable toward the distal end of said outer catheter; an inflatable means affixed to the outer surface of at least one of said catheters for forming a seal at the interior walls of the body channel; optical fibers extending through a portion of said inner catheter for illuminating and viewing the area in front of the distal end of said inner catheter; and means for positioning said optical fibers relative to the axis of said outer catheter.

Claim 3

The catheter assembly of claim 1 wherein said positioning means includes a cable and pulley arrangement.

Claim 4

The catheter assembly of claim 1 wherein said optical fibers for illuminating and viewing include: a plurality of optical fibers extending through a portion of said inner catheter and terminating within said inner catheter near the distal end thereof for use in illuminating the area in front of the distal end of said inner catheter; and a fiber optic bundle extending through a portion of said inner catheter and terminating within said inner catheter near the distal end thereof for use in viewing the area in front of the distal end of said inner catheter.

Claim 5

The catheter assembly of claim 1 further including a flushing channel extending through a portion of said inner catheter and terminating within said inner catheter near the distal end thereof.

Claim 6

The catheter assembly of claim 1 further including an optical fiber extending through a portion of said inner catheter for transmitting laser energy therethrough for removing an obstruction outwardly of the distal end of said inner catheter.

Claim 7

The catheter assembly of claim 5 further including means for positioning said laser optical fiber relative to the central axis of said outer catheter.

Claim 8

The catheter assembly of claim 6 wherein said positioning means includes a cable arrangement.

Claim 9

The catheter assembly of claim 5 further including: flushing and suction channels extending through a portion of said inner catheter and terminating within said inner catheter near the distal end thereof.

Claim 10

The catheter assembly of claim 5 wherein said viewing and illuminating optical fibers include: a plurality of optical fibers extending through a portion of said inner catheter and terminating within said inner catheter near the distal end thereof for use in illuminating the area in front of the distal end of said inner catheter; and a fiber optic bundle extending through a portion of said inner catheter and terminating within said inner catheter near the distal end thereof for use in viewing the area in front of the distal end of said inner catheter.

Claim 11

The catheter assembly of claim 5 wherein said viewing and illuminating optical fibers comprise: a fiber optical bundle having a viewing bundle portion for viewing the area in front of the distal end of said inner catheter, and a light source bundle portion for illuminating said area.

Claim 12

The catheter assembly of claim 10 wherein there are two of said fiber optical bundles disposed on opposite sides of the central axis of said inner catheter.

Claim 13

A catheter assembly for use in removing an obstruction in a blood vessel, comprising: a first catheter for insertion into the blood vessel, sand first catheter having distal and proximal ends; a second catheter having distal and proximal ends and of smaller diameter than said first catheter, said second catheter positionable within said first catheter such that the distal end of said second catheter is extendable toward the distal end of said first catheter; inflatable means affixed at the exterior surface of at least one of said catheters near the distal end thereof for sealing against interior walls of the blood vessel when inflated to prevent the flow of blood into the area of the obstruction; optical fibers extending through said second catheter and terminating near the distal end thereof for use in illuminating and viewing the obstruction; at least one optical fiber extending through said second catheter and terminating near the distal end of said second catheter for transmitting laser energy therethrough to remove the obstruction; and means for positioning said viewing and illuminating optical fibers, and said laser fiber relative to the central axis of the first catheter.

Claim 14

A catheter assembly for use in removing an obstruction in a blood vessel, comprising: a first catheter for insertion into the blood vessel, sand first catheter having distal and proximal ends; a second catheter having distal and proximal ends and of smaller diameter than said first catheter, said second catheter positionable within said first catheter such that the distal end of said second catheter is extendable toward the distal end of said first catheter; inflatable means affixed at the exterior surface of at least one of said catheters near the distal end thereof for sealing against interior walls of the blood vessel when inflated to prevent the flow of blood into the area of the obstruction; optical fibers extending through said second catheter and terminating near the distal end thereof for use in illuminating and viewing the obstruction; at least one optical fiber extending through said second catheter and terminating near the distal end of said second catheter for transmitting laser energy therethrough to remove the obstruction; and means for positioning said viewing and illuminating optical fibers, and said laser fiber relative to the central axis of the first catheter.

Claim 15

The catheter assembly of claim 12 wherein said laser fiber is positioned along the central axis of said second catheter.

Claim 16

The catheter assembly of claim 12 wherein that end of said laser fiber terminating near the distal end of said second catheter includes a lens for focusing a laser beam on the obstruction.

Claim 17

The catheter assembly of claim 12 wherein said positioning means includes a cable arrangement.

Claim 18

The catheter assembly of claim 12 further including: a flushing tube extending through a portion of said second catheter and terminating within said second catheter near the distal end thereof for injecting a flushing fluid, a gas, or a dye into the area in front of the distal end of said second catheter; and a suction tube extending through a portion of said second catheter and terminating within said second catheter near the distal end thereof for removing said injected fluid, dye and gas, or materials and gases produced by removal of the obstruction.

Claim 21

The method of claim 17 further including injecting a fluid into the area of the obstruction through a flushing tube extending through said second catheter.

Claim 22

The method of claim 18 further including removing through a suction tube extending through said second catheter said fluids, and materials and gases produced by removal of the obstruction.

Claim 23

The catheter assembly of claim 12 wherein said viewing and illuminating optical fibers comprise first and second fiber optic bundles each having a viewing bundle portion for viewing the area in front of the distal end of said second catheter and a light source bundle portion for illuminating said area.

Claim 24

A catheter assembly, comprising: an outer catheter for insertion into a body channel, said outer catheter having distal and proximal ends; an inner catheter positionable within said outer catheter and having a distal end extendable toward the distal end of said outer catheter; an inflatable means associated with at least one of said catheters for effecting a seal at the interior walls of the body channel; optical fibers extending through at least a portion of said inner catheter for illuminating and viewing the area in front of the distal end of said inner catheter; and means for positioning said optical fibers relative to the axis of said outer catheter.

Claim 25

A catheter assembly, comprising: an outer catheter for insertion into a body channel, said outer catheter having distal and proximal ends; an inner catheter positionable within said outer catheter and having a distal end extendable toward the distal end of said outer catheter; an inflatable means associated with at least one of said catheters for effecting a seal at the interior walls of the body channel; optical fibers extending through at least a portion of said inner catheter for illuminating and viewing the area in front of the distal end of said inner catheter; and means for positioning said optical fibers relative to the axis of said outer catheter.

Claim 26

A catheter assembly, comprising: a first catheter for insertion into a body channel, said first catheter having distal and proximal ends; a second catheter of smaller diameter than said first catheter and positionable within said first catheter such that a distal end of said second catheter is extendable toward the distal end of said first catheter; inflatable means associated with at least one of said catheters near the distal end thereof for effecting a seal at the interior walls of the body channel to prevent the flow of a body fluid therepast; and first and second fiber optical bundles for viewing the area in front of the distal end of said second catheter and a light source bundle for illuminating said area.

Claim 27

A catheter assembly, comprising: a first catheter for insertion into a body channel, said first catheter having distal and proximal ends; a second catheter of smaller diameter than said first catheter and positionable within said first catheter such that a distal end of said second catheter is extendable toward the distal end of said first catheter; inflatable means associated with at least one of said catheters near the distal end thereof for effecting a seal at the interior walls of the body channel to prevent the flow of a body fluid therepast; and first and second fiber optical bundles for viewing the area in front of the distal end of said second catheter and a light source bundle for illuminating said area.

Claim 28

A catheter assembly for removing an obstruction, comprising: an outer catheter insertable into a body channel, said outer catheter having distal and proximal ends; an inner catheter having distal and proximal ends and of smaller diameter than said outer catheter and positionable within said outer catheter such that the distal end of said inner catheter is extendable toward the distal end of said outer catheter; inflatable means associated with at least one of said catheters for effecting a seal at the interior walls of the body channel to prevent the flow of a body fluid therepast and into the of the obstruction; means carried by said inner catheter for illuminating and viewing the obstruction; and means for transmitting laser energy through said inner catheter for removing the obstruction.

Claim 29

A catheter assembly for removing an obstruction, comprising: an outer catheter insertable into a body channel, said outer catheter having distal and proximal ends; an inner catheter having distal and proximal ends and of smaller diameter than said outer catheter and positionable within said outer catheter such that the distal end of said inner catheter is extendable toward the distal end of said outer catheter; inflatable means associated with at least one of said catheters for effecting a seal at the interior walls of the body channel to prevent the flow of a body fluid therepast and into the of the obstruction; means carried by said inner catheter for illuminating and viewing the obstruction; and means for transmitting laser energy through said inner catheter for removing the obstruction.

Claim 30

The catheter assembly of claim 23 wherein said illuminating and viewing means comprises optical fibers extending through said second catheter and terminating near the distal end thereof; and said laser transmitting means comprises at least one optical fiber extending through said second catheter and terminating near the distal end thereof.

Claim 31

The catheter assembly of claim 23 further including means for positioning said viewing and illuminating means and said laser transmitting means relative to the central axis of said outer catheter.

Claim 32

A catheter assembly comprising: a catheter for insertion into a body channel, the catheter having distal and proximal ends; an inflatable means associated with the catheter for forming a seal at the interior walls of a body channel; optical fibers extending through at least a portion of the catheter for illuminating and viewing the area in front of the distal end of the catheter; and mans for positioning aid optical fibers relative to the axis of the catheter.

Claim 33

A catheter assembly comprising: a catheter for insertion into a body channel, the catheter having distal and proximal ends; an inflatable means associated with the catheter for forming a seal at the interior walls of a body channel; optical fibers extending through at least a portion of the catheter for illuminating and viewing the area in front of the distal end of the catheter; and mans for positioning aid optical fibers relative to the axis of the catheter.

Claim 34

The catheter assembly of claim 26 wherein said positioning means includes a cable means.

Claim 35

The catheter assembly of claim 26 further including a channel extending through at least a portion of said catheter.

Claim 36

The catheter assembly of claim 26 further including an optical fiber extending through at least a portion of the catheter for transmitting laser energy therethrough for removing an obstruction outwardly of the distal end of said catheter.

Claim 37

The catheter assembly of claim 29 further including means for positioning said laser optical fiber relative to the central axis of the catheter.