Infrared laser catheter system
First Claim
1. A system for the surgical removal of atherosclerotic plaque comprising:
- a laser energy source operating in a pulsed mode with an output wavelength in the range of from about 1.4 to about 2.2 micrometers, said laser energy source operating at an energy density of at least about 0.6 joules per square millimeter per pulse;
an optical fiber;
means for coupling an output of said laser source to a proximal end of said optical fiber; and
means attached to a distal end of said optical fiber for directing laser energy propagating down said optical fiber to a surgical site within the body.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Laser energy produced by a laser operating in the mid-infrared region (approximately 2 micrometers) is delivered by an optical fiber in a catheter to a surgical site for biological tissue removal and repair. Disclosed laser sources which have an output wavelength in this region include: Holmium-doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Ho:YAG), Holmium-doped Yttrium Lithium Fluoride (Ho:YLF), Holmium-doped Yttrium-Scandium-Gadolinium=Garnet (HO:YSGG), Erbium-doped YAG, Erbium-doped YLF and Thulium-doped YAG. Laser output energy is applied to a silica-based optical fiber which has been specially purified to reduce the hydroxyl-ion concentration to a low level. The catheter may be comprised of a single optical fiber or a plurality of optical fibers arranged to give overlapping output patterns for large area coverage. In a preferred application for the removal of atheroscleotic plaque, a Holmium-doped laser operating in the wavelength range of from about 1.9 to about 2.1 micrometers is preferred. For removal of such plaque by a Holmium-doped laser, it has been found that the threshold energy density should be greater than about 0.6 joules/mm2 per pulse, and that the pulse width should be substantially less than about 83 milliseconds, and that the repetition rate should be in the range of from about 1 to about 10 Hertz.
308 Citations
16 Claims
-
1. A system for the surgical removal of atherosclerotic plaque comprising:
-
a laser energy source operating in a pulsed mode with an output wavelength in the range of from about 1.4 to about 2.2 micrometers, said laser energy source operating at an energy density of at least about 0.6 joules per square millimeter per pulse; an optical fiber; means for coupling an output of said laser source to a proximal end of said optical fiber; and means attached to a distal end of said optical fiber for directing laser energy propagating down said optical fiber to a surgical site within the body. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A system for the surgical removal of atherosclerotic plaque comprising:
-
a Holmium-doped laser energy source operating in a pulsed mode with an output wavelength in the range of from about 1.90 to about 2.1 micrometers, said laser energy source operating at an energy density of at least about 0.6 joules per square millimeter per pulse, said laser being operated with a pulse width substantially less than about 83 milliseconds and at a repetition rate in the range of from about 1 to about 10 Hertz; an optical fiber; means for directing an output of said laser source to a proximal end of said optical fiber; and means attached to a distal end of said optical fiber for directing laser energy propagating down said optical fiber to a surgical site.
-
-
14. A system of the surgical removal of atherosclerotic plaque comprising:
-
an Erbium-doped YAG laser energy source operating in a pulsed mode with an output wavelength of about 1.55 micrometers, said laser energy source operating at an energy density of at least about 9.5×
10-3 joules per square millimeter per pulse, said laser energy source being operated with a pulse width substantially less than about 83 milliseconds and at a repetition rate in the range of from about 1 to about 10 Hertz;an optical fiber; means for directing an output of said laser source to a proximal end of said optical fiber; and means attached to a distal end of said optical fiber for directing laser energy propagating down said optical fiber to a surgical site.
-
-
15. A system for the surgical removal of atherosclerotic plaque comprising:
-
an Erbium-doped YLF laser energy source operating in a pulsed mode with an output wavelength of about 1.73 micrometers, said laser energy source operating at an energy density of at least about 5.7 joules per square millimeter per pulse, said laser energy source being operated with a pulse width substantially less than about 83 milliseconds and at a repetition rate in the range of from about 1 to about 10 Hertz; an optical fiber; means for directing an output of said laser source to a proximal end of said optical fiber; and means attached to a distal end of said optical fiber for directing laser energy propagating down said optical fiber to a surgical site.
-
-
16. A system for the surgical removal of atherosclerotic plaque comprising:
-
a Thulium-doped YAG laser energy source operating in a pulsed mode with an output wavelength of about 1.88 micrometers, said laser energy source operating at an energy density of at least about 0.76 joules per square millimeter per pulse, said laser energy source being operated with a pulse width substantially less than about 83 milliseconds and at a repetition rate in the range from of about 1 to about 10 Hertz; an optical fiber; means for directing the output of said laser source to a proximal end of said optical fiber; and means attached to a distal end of said optical fiber for directing laser energy propagating down said optical fiber to a surgical site.
-
Specification