Method for intra-operative myocardial device revascularization
First Claim
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1. A method of revascularizing a desired portion of a patient'"'"'s myocardium, comprising the steps of:
- providing an elongated flexible optical fiber system having proximal and distal ends;
guiding a distal portion of the elongate flexible optical fiber system within the patient'"'"'s chest cavity and urging the distal end thereof into contact with an exterior portion of the patient'"'"'s epicardium which is extensive with the desired portion of the myocardium to be revascularized; and
transmitting laser energy from a remote source thereof through the optical fiber system to the distal end of said optical fiber system and directing transmitted laser energy emitted from the distal end thereof in a beam onto the portion of the patient'"'"'s epicardium in contact therewith with sufficient energy and for a sufficient length of time to form a revascularizing channel through the epicardium, the myocardium and the endocardium having transverse dimensions at least the same as the distal end of the optical fiber system while urging the distal end of the optical fiber system against tissue thereof.
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Abstract
The method for intra-operative myocardial revascularization of a human heart includes a inserting a portion of an elongated flexible lasing apparatus into the chest cavity of a patient, and lasing channels from the epicardium through the myocardium of the heart, without mechanical tearing of the heart tissue. The apparatus is guided to an area exterior to a ventricle of the patient'"'"'s heart, and the distal end of the optical fiber apparatus is directed to an area of interest where the exterior wall of the heart is irradiated with laser energy to form a channel through the myocardium.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method of revascularizing a desired portion of a patient'"'"'s myocardium, comprising the steps of:
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providing an elongated flexible optical fiber system having proximal and distal ends; guiding a distal portion of the elongate flexible optical fiber system within the patient'"'"'s chest cavity and urging the distal end thereof into contact with an exterior portion of the patient'"'"'s epicardium which is extensive with the desired portion of the myocardium to be revascularized; and transmitting laser energy from a remote source thereof through the optical fiber system to the distal end of said optical fiber system and directing transmitted laser energy emitted from the distal end thereof in a beam onto the portion of the patient'"'"'s epicardium in contact therewith with sufficient energy and for a sufficient length of time to form a revascularizing channel through the epicardium, the myocardium and the endocardium having transverse dimensions at least the same as the distal end of the optical fiber system while urging the distal end of the optical fiber system against tissue thereof. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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4. A method of increasing the flow of blood within a patient'"'"'s heart by forming at least one channel through an exterior wall of the patient'"'"'s heart into a heart chamber defined by the wall, comprising the steps of:
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directing a distal portion of an elongated flexible lasing system having a distal end into the patient'"'"'s chest cavity; guiding the distal end of the flexible lasing system within the patient'"'"'s chest cavity to engage an exterior area of the wall of the patient'"'"'s heart in which increased blood flow is desired; and directing laser energy in a beam from the distal end of said flexible lasing system in a plurality of pulses during individual heart beats to create a revascularizing channel in the wall of the patient'"'"'s heart and guiding the distal end of the flexible lasing system in the channel created while creating the channel until the channel extends into and is in communication with heart chamber defined by the wall. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 9, 15)
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Specification