초록 ▼

A laser catheter for insertion in a body passage and for treatment of a relatively inaccessible location with laser radiation in a preselected first wavelength range, typically in the mid-infrared band, that is outside the transmission passband of silica optical fibers. The laser catheter includes a

A laser catheter for insertion in a body passage and for treatment of a relatively inaccessible location with laser radiation in a preselected first wavelength range, typically in the mid-infrared band, that is outside the transmission passband of silica optical fibers. The laser catheter includes an elongated flexible tube, an optical fiber for carrying optical pumping laser radiation in a second wavelength range through the flexible tube, and a laser attached to the flexible tube at or near the distal end thereof and responsive to optical pumping laser radiation in the second wavelength range for generating output laser radiation in the first wavelength range. The laser can comprise a cylindrical laser crystal attached to the distal end of the flexible tube and having laser mirrors on opposite end faces thereof. The laser crystal can be a suitable host material doped with a rare earth ion selected to produce the desired output wavelength. A preferred laser crystal is erbium-doped YAG, which produces an output at 2.94 micrometers. The optical pumping radiation is supplied from an external pump laser, which is preferably an alexandrite laser operating in the wavelength range of 0.7 to 0.8 micrometer.

대표청구항 ▼

A laser catheter for internal application of laser radiation in a first wavelength range, comprising: an elongated, flexible element suitable for insertion in a body passage or cavity, said flexible element having a distal end and a proximal end; optical waveguide means for carrying laser radiation

A laser catheter for internal application of laser radiation in a first wavelength range, comprising: an elongated, flexible element suitable for insertion in a body passage or cavity, said flexible element having a distal end and a proximal end; optical waveguide means for carrying laser radiation in a second wavelength range through said flexible element; and laser means attached to said flexible element at the distal end thereof and suitable for insertion in a body passage or cavity, said laser means being responsive to laser radiation in said second wavelength range carried by said optical waveguide means, for generating laser radiation in said first wavelength adjacent to an internal application site.