LIQUID LIGHT GUIDE CATHETER HAVING BIOCOMPATIBLE LIQUID LIGHT GUIDE MEDIUM

• US 20090112198A1
• Filed: 10/24/2007
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spectranetics Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Spectranetics Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Khanna, Krishn, Splinter, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 9,848,952 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/15
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/20 using laser
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2222 Fibre material or composition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2244 Features of optical fibre cables, e.g. claddings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2261 with scattering, diffusion or dispersion of light
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 29/02 Inorganic materials
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/032 with non solid core or cladding G02B6/02295 takes precedence

Abstract

A catheter system to ablate target matter within a mammalian body using light energy is described. The system may include an open-ended catheter tip through which a liquid light guide medium flows to the target matter, where at least a portion of the liquid light guide medium exiting the catheter tip creates a fluid optical channel to transmit the light energy from the catheter tip to the target matter. The system may also include a catheter lumen whose distal end includes the open-ended catheter tip, a light source to generate the light energy, and a liquid light guide medium source fluidly coupled to the catheter lumen. The liquid light guide medium source may include a reservoir of the liquid light guide medium that includes a magnesium chloride solution or a lactated Ringer'"'"'s solution.

Claims

1. A catheter system to ablate target matter within a mammalian body using light energy, the system comprising:

an open-ended catheter tip through which a liquid light guide medium flows to the target matter, wherein at least a portion of the liquid light guide medium exiting the catheter tip creates a fluid optical channel to transmit the light energy from the catheter tip to the target matter;

a catheter lumen whose distal end comprises the open-ended catheter tip, wherein the lumen contains a distal end of at least one optical fiber that transmits the light energy to the liquid light guide medium, and wherein the lumen acts as a conduit for the liquid light guide medium flowing through the catheter tip;

a light source to generate the light energy, wherein the light source is optically coupled to the at least one optical fiber; and

a liquid light guide medium source fluidly coupled to the catheter lumen, wherein the medium source comprises a reservoir of the liquid light guide medium comprising a magnesium chloride solution or a lactated Ringer'"'"'s solution.

2. The catheter system of claim 1, wherein the magnesium chloride solution comprises magnesium chloride hexahydrate.

3. The catheter system of claim 1, wherein the lactated Ringer'"'"'s solution comprises sodium chloride, sodium lactate, calcium chloride, and potassium chloride.

4. The catheter system of claim 1, wherein the light source is an Excimer laser.

5. The catheter system of claim 4, wherein the Excimer laser is a XeCl Excimer laser, and the light energy has a wavelength of about 308 nm.

6. The catheter system of claim 1, wherein the catheter tip comprises a fluoropolymer with a refractive index equal to or below that of water.

7. The catheter system of claim 1, wherein the catheter lumen comprises a first segment having a distal end coupled to a second segment of the lumen that includes the open-ended catheter tip.

8. The catheter system of claim 7, wherein the first and second segments are coupled by one or more pieces of shrink tubing that forms a fluid tight seal between the distal end of the first segment and a proximal end of the second segment.

9. The catheter system of claim 7, wherein a proximal end of the first segment of the lumen is branched into at least a first and second branch, wherein the first branch is coupled to the light source by the optical fiber and the second branch is coupled to liquid light guide medium source.

15. The catheter system of claim 1, wherein the liquid light guide medium comprises a magnesium chloride solution.

16. The catheter system of claim 1, wherein the liquid light guide medium comprises a lactated Ringer'"'"'s solution.

10. A catheter system for delivering laser light energy to target matter in a mammalian body, the system comprising:

an open-ended catheter tip through which a liquid light guide medium flows to the target matter, wherein at least a portion of the liquid light guide medium exiting the catheter tip creates a fluid optical channel to transmit the laser light energy from the catheter tip to the target matter;

a lumen having a distal end coupled to the open-ended catheter tip;

a branched connector comprising first and second branch inlets and an outlet coupled to a proximal end of the lumen;

one or more optical fibers that pass through the first branch of the connecter and into the lumen, wherein the optical fibers are optically coupled to a laser that generates the laser light energy; and

a liquid light guide medium source coupled to the second branch of the connector, wherein the medium source comprises a reservoir of the liquid light guide medium comprising a magnesium chloride solution or a lactated Ringer'"'"'s solution.

11. The catheter system of claim 10, wherein the liquid light guide medium comprises the magnesium chloride solution.

12. The catheter system of claim 10, wherein the magnesium chloride solution comprises magnesium chloride hexahydrate.

13. The catheter system of claim 10, wherein the liquid light guide medium comprises the lactated Ringer'"'"'s solution.

14. A catheter system to deliver light energy to target matter in a mammalian body, the system comprising:

an open-ended catheter tip through which a liquid light guide medium flows to the target matter, wherein at least a portion of the liquid light guide medium exiting the catheter tip creates a fluid optical channel to transmit the light energy from the catheter tip to the target matter;

a catheter lumen whose distal end comprises the open-ended catheter tip, wherein the lumen acts as a conduit for the light energy transmitted though the liquid light guide medium in the conduit;

a light source to generate the light energy, wherein the light energy is transmitted from the source to the open-ended catheter tip exclusively through the liquid light guide medium in the catheter lumen; and

a liquid light guide medium source fluidly coupled to the catheter lumen.

17. A method of delivering light energy to target matter in a mammalian body, the method comprising:

positing an open-ended catheter tip proximate to the target matter;

flowing a liquid light guide medium comprising a magnesium chloride solution or a lactated Ringer'"'"'s solution through the open-ended catheter tip to the target matter, wherein at least a portion of the liquid light guide medium exiting the catheter tip creates a fluid optical channel to transmit the light energy from the catheter tip to the target matter; and

activating a light source to generate the light energy that is transmitted through the fluid optical channel to the target matter.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the liquid light guide medium comprises the magnesium chloride solution.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the magnesium chloride solution comprises magnesium chloride hexahydrate.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the liquid light guide medium comprises the lactated Ringer'"'"'s solution.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises ablating at least a portion of the target matter with the light energy.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the method further comprises forming a cavity in remaining target matter after the ablation, where the cavity provides a cladding surface to extend the fluid optical channel into the remaining target matter.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the light source is a XeCl Excimer laser and the light energy has a wavelength of about 308 nm.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises exclusively transmitting the light energy through the liquid light guide medium from the light source to the open-ended catheter tip.

25. A catheter system comprising:

a catheter that defines a catheter lumen which acts as a conduit for a liquid light guide medium, wherein the catheter has an open-ended distal end through which the liquid light guide medium flows to the target matter, and wherein at least a portion of the liquid light guide medium exiting the catheter tip creates a fluid optical channel to transmit the light energy from the catheter tip to the target matter;

an optical fiber extending into the catheter lumen and having a distal end terminating inside the catheter, wherein the optical fiber transmits the light energy to the liquid light guide medium; and

a liquid light guide medium source fluidly coupled to the catheter lumen, wherein the medium source comprises a reservoir of the liquid light guide medium comprising a magnesium chloride solution or a lactated Ringer'"'"'s solution.