Tapered liquid light guide

• US 10,092,357 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2016
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spectranetics Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Spectranetics Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Fix, Clint
• Primary Examiner(s): Arnold, Ernst V
• Application Number:
  US15/138,949
• Publication Number:
  US 20160310214A1
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/24 with a catheter A61B18/26, A61B18/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/245 for removing obstructions in blood vessels or calculi
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/206 the laser light passing along a liquid-filled conduit

Abstract

A catheter tip is provided according to various embodiments of the disclosure. The catheter tip may comprise a distal end, a proximal end, and tubular walls. The distal end includes a distal aperture with a distal inside diameter, and the proximal end includes a proximal aperture with a proximal inside diameter. The proximal inside diameter may be greater than the distal inside diameter. The proximal end comprises attachment means configured to couple the proximal end with a distal end of a laser catheter. The tubular walls may include at least an inside taper from the proximal end to the distal end such that the inner tubular walls generally taper from the proximal inside diameter to the distal inside diameter. Moreover, the tubular walls may be configured to direct at least a liquid medium, for example, a biocompatible solution, toward the distal aperture.

Claims

1. A tapered liquid light guide sheath configured to increase energy density of light emanating from a laser catheter, the tapered liquid light guide sheath comprising:

a proximal end including a proximal aperture having a first cross-section, the proximal aperture being configured to slidably receive the laser catheter;

an elongated tubular body coupled to the proximal end and configured to slidably receive the laser catheter from the proximal aperture;

a distal end including a distal aperture having a second cross-section, the second cross-section being smaller than the first cross-section;

a tapered portion coupled between the elongated tubular body and the distal end, the tapered portion including an inner lumen having a longitudinal axis therethrough and tapering from the elongated tubular body to the distal end, wherein the inner lumen toward the elongated tubular body is larger than the inner lumen toward the distal end, wherein the tapered portion is configured to direct light received from the laser catheter toward the distal aperture, wherein the tapered portion is configured to allow a liquid medium to flow toward the distal end within the inner lumen, and wherein the inner lumen is constructed from a flexible material configured to induce internal reflection of light within the liquid medium; and

,

an extended portion extending longitudinally from the tapered portion and including the inner lumen and the distal end, wherein the extended portion has a circular cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis equal to the second cross-section, wherein the circular cross-section is the same along the length of the extended portion.

2. The tapered liquid light guide sheath according to claim 1, wherein the material comprises a plastic.

3. The tapered liquid light guide sheath according to claim 2, wherein the plastic comprises at least one of a fluoropolymer, polycarbonate, polyethylene, and polyvinyl chloride.

4. The tapered liquid light guide sheath according to claim 1, wherein the material has an index of refraction below 1.4 at a wavelength of 308 nm.

5. The tapered liquid light guide sheath according to claim 1, further comprising an infusion port at the proximal end, the infusion port including the proximal aperture and a fluid port for receiving the liquid medium.

6. The tapered liquid light guide sheath according to claim 1 further comprising the liquid medium, wherein the liquid medium comprises a biocompatible solution.

7. The tapered liquid light guide sheath according to claim 1 further comprising the liquid medium, wherein the liquid medium comprises a solution comprising a salt selected from the group consisting of MgCl₂, NaCl and CaCl.

8. The tapered liquid light guide sheath according to claim 1 further comprising the liquid medium, wherein the liquid medium comprises a salt solution.

9. A tapered liquid light guide sheath configured to increase energy density of light emanating from a laser catheter, the tapered liquid light guide sheath comprising:

a distal end with a distal aperture having a distal cross-section;

a proximal end with a proximal aperture having a proximal cross-section, the proximal cross-section being greater than the distal cross-section, and the proximal aperture being configured to slidably receive the laser catheter;

an elongated tubular body coupled to the proximal end and configured to slidably receive the laser catheter from the proximal aperture;

a tapered body coupled between the distal end and the elongated tubular body, the tapered body including an inner lumen, having a longitudinal axis therethrough, that tapers from the elongated tubular body to the distal end, wherein the tapered body is configured to support the laser catheter within the inner lumen, the inner lumen configured to allow a liquid medium to flow toward the distal end, and wherein the inner lumen is constructed from a flexible material configured to induce internal reflection of light within the liquid medium; and

,

an extended portion extending longitudinally from the tapered body and including the inner lumen and the distal end, wherein the extended portion has a circular cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis equal to the distal cross-section, wherein the circular cross-section is the same along the length of the extended portion.

10. The tapered liquid light guide sheath according to claim 9, wherein the material comprises a plastic.

11. The tapered liquid light guide sheath according to claim 10, wherein the plastic comprises at least one of a fluoropolymer, polycarbonate, polyethylene, and polyvinyl chloride.

12. The tapered liquid light guide sheath according to claim 9, wherein the material has an index of refraction below 1.4 at a wavelength of 308 nm.

13. The tapered liquid light guide sheath according to claim 9, further comprising an infusion port at the proximal end, the infusion port including the proximal aperture and a fluid port for receiving the liquid medium.

14. The tapered liquid light guide sheath according to claim 9 further comprising the liquid medium, wherein the liquid medium comprises a biocompatible solution.

15. The tapered liquid light guide sheath according to claim 9 further comprising the liquid medium, wherein the liquid medium comprises a solution comprising a salt selected from the group consisting of MgCl₂, NaCl and CaCl.

16. The tapered liquid light guide sheath according to claim 9 further comprising the liquid medium, wherein the liquid medium comprises a salt solution.

17. A tapered liquid light guide sheath configured to increase energy density of light emanating from a laser catheter, the tapered liquid light guide sheath comprising:

a distal end with a distal aperture;

a proximal end with a proximal aperture configured to slidably receive the laser catheter;

an elongated tubular body coupled to the proximal end and configured to slidably receive the laser catheter from the proximal aperture;

a tapered body coupled between the distal end and the elongated tubular body, the tapered body including an inner lumen having a longitudinal axis therethrough, wherein the inner lumen tapers from a first cross-section adjacent the elongated tubular body to a second cross-section adjacent the distal end, wherein the first cross-section is larger than the second cross-section, wherein the tapered body is configured to support the laser catheter within the inner lumen, the inner lumen configured to allow a liquid medium to flow toward the distal end, and wherein the inner lumen is constructed from a flexible material configured to induce internal reflection of light within the liquid medium, wherein the material has an index of refraction below 1.4; and

,

an extended portion extending longitudinally from the tapered body and including the inner lumen and the distal end, wherein the extended portion has a circular cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis equal to the second cross-section, wherein the circular cross-section is the same along the length of the extended portion.

18. The tapered liquid light guide sheath according to claim 17, wherein the material comprises a plastic.

19. The tapered liquid light guide sheath according to claim 18, wherein the plastic comprises at least one of a fluoropolymer, polycarbonate, polyethylene, and polyvinyl chloride.