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Tissue ablating device having a deflectable ablation area and method of using same

  • US 5,484,433 A
  • Filed: 12/30/1993
  • Issued: 01/16/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1993
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for ablating biological tissue having a deflectable ablation area, comprising:

  • an elongated catheter having a distal end, a proximal end, an elongated body portion, and a first cross-sectional area at said distal end when said catheter is in an undeflected state including;

    a sheath,a plurality of optical fibers located within said sheath and extending between said proximal end and said distal end of said catheter, each optical fiber in said plurality of optical fibers having distal end and an end surface at said distal end, wherein an ablation area is located at said distal end of said elongated catheter, said ablation area being defined by a closed figure that encompasses said end surfaces of all of said optical fibers, said optical fibers generally pointing in an axial direction of said elongated catheter when said catheter is in said undeflected state, anddeflecting means for selectively deflecting all of said optical fibers generally away from said axial direction of said elongated catheter such that at least a portion of said ablation area extends beyond said first cross-sectional area of said catheter and such that an amount of light energy over said entire ablation area remains constant whether or not said deflecting means is actuated, said deflecting means being contained within said sheath.

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