Catheter system for controlled removal by radiant energy of biological obstructions

• US 5,167,686 A
• Filed: 01/05/1989
• Issued: 12/01/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cardiofocus Incorporated
• Original Assignee: C.R. Bard, Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Wong, Jacob Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lindsay, Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US07/293,692
• Time in Patent Office: 1,426 Days
• Field of Search: 65/4.2, 65/4.21, 65/4.3, 65/36, 128/303.1, 128/398, 128/634
• US Class Current: 65/412
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/245 for removing obstructions in blood vessels or calculi
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4296 coupling with sources of high radiant energy, e.g. high power lasers, high temperature light sources

Abstract

A catheter for delivering radiant energy, such as a laser beam, is used in a technique to controllably apply the radiant energy in a patient'"'"'s body, such as in a blood vessel. The radiant energy is applied in a manner which erodes biological material and may be used to drill through vascular obstructions. The catheter emtis the radiant energy from its distal end in a pattern which defines a relatively small working region in which the energy density level is sufficiently high to remove the biological material. The energy disribution is substantially uniform across the beam. Distally beyond the working region, the energy density of the beam decays sharply so that biological material beyond the working region is not removed. Biological material is removed in very limited layer-like regions and in a manner in which a distally propagated segment of the beam will not have sufficient energy density to puncture the blood bessel wall. The catheter is a of elongate flexible tubular construction havign a fiber optic wave guide extending through the lumen of the catheter. The distal end of the optical fiber terminates within the catheter and is secured in alignment with an optical system at the distal end of the catheter. The optical system seals the optical fiber from contact with biological material and shapes the beam so that it is emitted from the optical system in manner which defines the working region. The catheter includes openings adjacent the distal end which communicated with the lumen and enable delivery of fluid to the blood vessel or withdrawal of material from the blood vessel.

Claims

1. A method of making an optical shield for a laser catheter wherein pieces of light transparent material are bonded together comprising the steps of:

(a) forming a rod from one piece of said material, said rod having an outer diameter;

(b) polishing one end of the rod;

(c) forming a tube having an inner diameter about equal to the outer diameter of the rod;

(d) inserting the polished end of the rod into the tube;

(e) bonding the rod and tube at the juncture of each to join the two together;

(f) removing any excess rod not inserted in the tube; and

(g) polishing the portion of the tube and rod at the exposed removed end.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a heat source is used for bonding the said pieces.