Cardio-vascular catheter for shooting a laser beam
First Claim
1. A cardio-vascular catheter for repeatedly shooting a laser beam in the circulatory system of the human body for a period of time effective to completely destroy localized atheroma plates therein, comprising an optical fiber contained in a sheath, as well as an optical system, wherein said optical system obturates the distal end of said sheath and, between the distal end of said optical fiber and said optical system, there is formed a closed chamber which is in communication with a supply conduit and with a return conduit, which conduits form a closed system for recirculation of an optically neutral cooling fluid.
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Abstract
This invention relates to a catheter for shooting a laser beam, comprising an optical fiber contained in a sheath, as well as an optical system, wherein said optical system obturates the distal end of said sheath, and, between the distal end of said optical fiber and said optical system, there is formed a chamber which is in communication with a supply conduit and with a return conduit for an optically neutral cooling fluid.
288 Citations
16 Claims
- 1. A cardio-vascular catheter for repeatedly shooting a laser beam in the circulatory system of the human body for a period of time effective to completely destroy localized atheroma plates therein, comprising an optical fiber contained in a sheath, as well as an optical system, wherein said optical system obturates the distal end of said sheath and, between the distal end of said optical fiber and said optical system, there is formed a closed chamber which is in communication with a supply conduit and with a return conduit, which conduits form a closed system for recirculation of an optically neutral cooling fluid.
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11. A cardio-vascular catheter for repeatedly shooting a laser beam in the circulatory system of the human body for a period of time effective to completely destroy localized atheroma plates therein, comprising an optical fiber contained in a sheath, the distal end of said sheath comprising a rigid tubular head obturated by an optical system and forming a closed chamber between the end of said optical system which is in communication with at least one supply conduit and at least one return conduit, which conduits form a closed system for recirculation of an optically neutral cooling fluid for said optical fiber, said conduits being arranged inside said sheath, parallel to and at a distance from said optical fiber, and further comprising a third conduit opening out in the vicinity of said head and outside the distal end of said sheath, said third conduit serving as a supply conduit for a second fluid.
- 12. A cardio-vascular catheter for repeatedly shooting a laser beam in the circulatory system of the human body for a period of time effective to completely destroy localized atheroma plates therein, comprising an optical fiber contained within a coaxial inner sheath and an outer sheath coaxial thereto and an optical system obturating the distal end of at least said inner sheath, further comprising a closed chamber between the distal end of said optical fiber and said optical system which is in communication with a supply conduit and with a return conduit for an optically neutral cooling fluid for said optical fiber, wherein said conduits are formed by the tubular spaces included between said optical fiber and said coaxial inner sheath and between said coaxial inner and outer sheaths, respectively, said conduits communicating with each other via at least one passage in said inner sheath at the level of said chamber, and said conduit between said inner and outer sheaths being obturated at its distal end.
Specification