초록 ▼

Laser energy produced by a laser operating in the mid-infrared region (approximately 2 micrometers) is delivered by an optical fiber in a catheter to a surgical site for biological tissue removal and repair. Disclosed laser sources which have an output wavelength in this region include: Holmium-dope

Laser energy produced by a laser operating in the mid-infrared region (approximately 2 micrometers) is delivered by an optical fiber in a catheter to a surgical site for biological tissue removal and repair. Disclosed laser sources which have an output wavelength in this region include: Holmium-doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Ho:YAG), Holmium-doped Yttrium Lithium Fluoride (Ho:YLF), Erbium-doped YAG, Erbium-doped YLF and Thulium-doped YAG. For tissue removal, the lasers are operated with relatively long pulses at energy levels of approximately 1 joule per pulse. For tissue repair, the lasers are operated in a continuous wave mode at low power. Laser output energy is applied to a silica-based optical fiber which has been specially purified to reduce the hydroxyl-ion concentration to a low level. The catheter may be comprised of a single optical fiber or a plurality of optical fibers arranged to give overlapping output patterns for large area coverage.

대표청구항 ▼

A system for the percutaneous removal of atherosclerotic plaque comprising: a laser energy source including means for operating said laser energy source in a pulsed mode with an output wavelength in the range of about 1.4-2.2 micrometers, and for operating said laser energy source at an energy level

A system for the percutaneous removal of atherosclerotic plaque comprising: a laser energy source including means for operating said laser energy source in a pulsed mode with an output wavelength in the range of about 1.4-2.2 micrometers, and for operating said laser energy source at an energy level sufficient to remove atherosclerotic plaque; an optical fiber for conducting laser energy from said laser energy source from a proximal end of said fiber to a surgical site at a distal end of said optical fiber; and means for directing the output of said laser energy source to the proximal end of said optical fiber.