Excimer laser angioplasty system

• US 5,989,243 A
• Filed: 12/15/1992
• Issued: 11/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Spectranetics Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Interventional Systems, Inc. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Goldenberg, Tsvi
• Primary Examiner(s): Shay, David M.
• Application Number:
  US07/990,514
• Time in Patent Office: 2,534 Days
• Field of Search: 606/3-5, 606/7, 606/10-18
• US Class Current: 606/7
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00165 with light-conductive means, e.g. fibre optics A61B1/07 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/24 with a catheter A61B18/26, A61B18/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/245 for removing obstructions in blood vessels or calculi
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00154 pulsed
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22038 with a guide wire
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22039 eccentric
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22048 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22052 eccentric
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22055 with three or more balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22061 for spreading elements apart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2216 Braided or helically wound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2238 with means for selectively laterally deflecting the tip of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2244 Features of optical fibre cables, e.g. claddings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3933 Liquid markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09033 with fixed mandrils, e.g. mandrils fixed to tip; Tensionable wires
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/26 using light guides for illumination G02B23/2469
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/06 the relative position of the fibres being the same at both ends, e.g. for transporting images
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/262 Optical details of coupling light into, or out of, or between fibre ends, e.g. special fibre end shapes or associated optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/32 having lens focusing means positioned between opposed fibre ends with lens being an integral part of the single fibre end G02B6/262
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3624 : Fibre head, e.g. fibre probe termination optical details of light guide terminations G02B6/241; reshaping of light guides G02B6/2552; optical details of coupling light into or out of fibre end G02B6/262
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4206 : Optical features G02B6/4207, G02B6/421 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4296 : coupling with sources of high radiant energy, e.g. high power lasers, high temperature light sources

Abstract

A fiber-optic waveguide, used for ablating lesions in blood vessels, is mounted within and guided by a catheter having multiple lumens extending therethrough and parallel to each other. The waveguide fits within at least one lumen and a guidewire, previously inserted in a blood vessel, extends through another lumen. The distal end of the waveguide can have a short section of larger diameter fiber fused to it to cause a laser beam transmitted through the fiber to expand as it emerges from the waveguide to provide a larger ablation area. The waveguide may also be connected to an energy source by means of an energy coupler.

Claims

1. An angioplasty system, comprising:

an elongated catheter that is adapted to fit within a human blood vessel, said catheter having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal lumen that is open to said distal end for receiving a guidewire;

a plurality of fiber-optic waveguides in said catheter each having an energy-conducting core made of synthetic silica that is substantially free of metallic impurities, and extending to said distal end for emitting energy conducted therethrough in a direction generally forwardly of said distal end of said catheter; and

a pulsed XeCl Excimer laser having an output wavelength of about 308 nm, with each pulse having a duration between 100 nsec and 3000 nsec and being coupled into a proximal end of said fiber-optic waveguides at a density of at least 50 mJ/mm² to ablate atherosclerotic plaque in a blood vessel.

2. The angioplasty system of claim 1 wherein each of said fiber-optic waveguides has a diameter no greater than about 200 microns.

3. The angioplasty system of claim 1 wherein the energy-conducting core of each waveguide is surrounded by cladding that is made of glass material.

4. The angioplasty system of claim 1 wherein the core of each of said waveguides is doped with fluorine.

5. The angioplasty system of claim 1 wherein each pulse of said laser energy comprises a sequence of time shifted subpulses.

6. The angioplasty system of claim 1 wherein the core of each of said waveguides is doped with an OH^- radical.

7. The angioplasty system of claim 6 wherein said OH^- radical is present in the core at a concentration of 200-2000 parts per million.

8. An angioplasty system, comprising:

an elongated catheter that is adapted to fit within a human blood vessel, said catheter having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal lumen that is open to said distal end for receiving a guidewire;

a plurality of fiber-optic waveguides disposed around said guidewire lumen in said catheter, and each having an energy-conducting core made of synthetic silica that is substantially free of metallic impurities, a glass material cladding surrounding said core, and a diameter no greater than about 200 microns, and extending to said distal end for emitting energy conducted therethrough in a direction generally forwardly of said distal end of said catheter; and

a pulsed XeCl Excimer laser having an output wavelength of about 308 nm, with each pulse having a duration between 100 nsec and 3000 nsec, and being coupled into a proximal end of said fiber-optic waveguides at a density of at least 50 mJ/mm² to ablate atherosclerotic plaque in a blood vessel.

9. The angioplasty system of claim 8 wherein said fiber optic waveguides are disposed substantially symmetrically about said guidewire lumen.