Multi-path optical catheter

• US 6,701,181 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2001
• Issued: 03/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Infraredx Incorporated (Nipro Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Infraredx Incorporated (Nipro Corporation)
• Inventors: Zuluaga, Andres, Tearney, Guillermo J., Furnish, Simon, Tang, Jing, Bouma, Brett E., Ryan, S. Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Lateef, Marvin M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lin, Jeoyuh
• Application Number:
  US09/871,770
• Publication Number:
  US 20020183623A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 600/476, 600/478, 600/407, 600/34, 385/33, 385/34, 385/60, 385/73, 385/74, 385/115, 385/119, 606/13, 606/14, 606/15-18, 604/96.01
• US Class Current: 600/478
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00096 Optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00183 for variable viewing angles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0615 for radial illumination
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/3137 for examination of the interior of blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6853 with a balloon

Abstract

First and second optical-redirectors mounted on a catheter couple radiation to a target along separate first and second paths. Either the first or second optical-redirectors, or both, can include a steering mechanism for selecting the first and/or second path.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a conduit having a longitudinal axis extending between a proximal portion and a distal portion;

a first waveguide for guiding radiation between the proximal portion of the conduit and the distal portion of the conduit;

a second waveguide for guiding radiation between the proximal portion of the conduit and the distal portion of the conduit;

a first optical-redirector disposed on an optical path between the first waveguide and a target, the first optical-redirector being oriented to direct radiation along a first path extending between the first waveguide and the target; and

a second optical-redirector disposed on an optical path between the second waveguide and the target, the second optical-redirector being oriented to direct radiation along a second path extending between the second waveguide and the target.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first optical-redirector comprises a conical surface having a cone axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the conduit, the conical surface having a flare angle relative to the cone axis.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the conical surface comprises a truncated half-cone.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the conical surface comprises a truncated cone.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising an actuator coupled to the conical surface for adjusting the direction of the first path.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the actuator is configured to change the flare angle of the conical surface.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the actuator is configured to translate the conical surface along the longitudinal axis.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the actuator comprises an inflatable balloon coupled to the conical surface so that a change in a volume of the balloon controls the flare angle.

9. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the actuator comprises a translating member coupled to the conical surface so that translation of the translating member controls the flare angle.

10. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the actuator comprises a control wire coupled to the conical surface for translating the conical surface along the longitudinal axis.

11. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the conical surface comprises a plurality of reflecting panels, each of the reflecting panels having a base end and a free end longer than the base end, each reflecting panel being pivotable about the base end between a closed position and an open position.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein adjacent reflecting panels overlap such that when each reflecting panel is pivoted to its open position, the plurality of reflecting panels forms a continuous reflecting surface.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second optical-redirectors are stationary relative to each other.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first actuator coupled to the first optical-redirector for moving the first optical-redirector relative to the second optical-redirector.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a feedback loop for moving the first optical-redirector relative to the second optical-redirector on the basis of a signal received from at least one of the first optical-redirector or the second optical-redirector.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the feedback loop comprises:

a detector in communication with the second waveguide;

a motor in communication with the first actuator; and

a processor in communication with the detector and with the motor, the processor being configured to drive the motor in response to a signal received from the detector.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first optical-redirector comprises a reflecting surface.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first optical-redirector comprises a refracting element.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first optical-redirector comprises a first reflecting facet of a reflecting member and the second optical-redirector comprises a second reflecting facet of the reflecting member.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first optical-redirector is integrated into the first waveguide.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the first waveguide includes a distal face having a surface normal vector with a radial component for directing radiation along a first path extending between the distal face and the target.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first optical-redirector is adapted to direct infrared radiation along the first path.

23. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conduit has a diameter between approximately 1 millimeter and 15 millimeters.

24. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conduit comprises a catheter.

25. An apparatus comprising:

a first optical-redirector mounted on a distal end of a catheter for coupling radiation to a target along a first path extending between the first optical-redirector and the target;

a second optical-redirector mounted on the distal end of the catheter for coupling radiation to a target along a second path extending between the second optical-redirector and the target.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising a first steering mechanism coupled to the first optical-redirector for selecting the first path.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising a second steering mechanism coupled to the second optical-redirector for selecting the second path.

28. A method comprising:

directing illuminating radiation along a first path extending between the catheter and the target, the first path having a radial component orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the catheter; and

collecting re-entrant radiation from the target along a second path extending between the target and the catheter, the second path having a radial component orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the catheter.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising analyzing the re-entrant radiation to detect a structure on or in the target.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising selecting the first path and/or the second path to enhance recovery of the re-entrant radiation.