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Angioplasty catheter and method of use thereof

  • US 5,026,366 A
  • Filed: 07/26/1988
  • Issued: 06/25/1991
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1984
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A catheter device for use in disintegrating undesired material from a duct within a patient'"'"'s body comprising:

  • a catheter having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion adapted to be inserted within a duct in the patient'"'"'s body;

    means disposed adjacent the distal end portion of the catheter for intersecting and releasing undesired material from the interior of the duct in the patient'"'"'s body when the distal end portion of the catheter is disposed adjacent to the undesired material, the intersecting and releasing means including the catheter having an open chamber disposed therein and formed by a bottom wall portion extending along the length of the catheter and a first abutment and a second abutment extending radially from the outer surface of the catheter to opposite end portions respectively of the bottom wall portion, the first abutment and the second abutment being spaced apart from one another along the length of the catheter with the second abutment disposed adjacent the distal end portion of the catheter, the first and second abutments being adapted to have the open chamber therebetween disposed adjacent to the inner surface of the duct for receiving undesired material therein when an outer portion of each of the first and second abutments is urged against the inner surface of the duct, and a fiber optic extending within the interior of the catheter from the proximal end portion thereof to the chamber for delivering laser energy into the chamber and toward the second abutment when the fiber optic is connected to a source of laser energy, the second abutment when intercepting laser energy from the fiber optic which has passed through the chamber preventing the laser energy from impinging on the inner surface of the duct and reflecting at least a portion of the laser energy intercepted thereby as the undesired material is disintegrated;

    an additional fiber optic extending within the interior of the catheter from the proximal end portion thereof to the chamber to receive light energy emitted from the second abutment in response to laser energy directed thereto as the undesired material is disintegrated; and

    means connected to the second fiber optic for enabling the emitted light energy to be sensed to permit determining the extent of disintegration of the undesired material.

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