Abstract: The present invention is a catheter with a twistable tip. The catheter having a flexible wall for use in complex twisting anatomy contains a torque wire or a torquable guide wire lumen. The torque wire or torquable guide wire lumen extends through the length of the catheter and is attached to the catheter at or near the distal end thereof. The distal face of the catheter is angled to self align the catheter with an obstruction upon insertion. The proximal end of the torque wire protrudes from the proximal end of the catheter and is attached to a turn limiter. Rotation of the turn limiter imparts a torque to the torque wire or torquable guide wire lumen which is transmitted through the catheter to the distal end of the catheter where the applied torque twists the distal tip to manually align the tip with an obstruction.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for relatively moving energy across an array of optical fibers. The energy may be scanned across the fiber array. A dielectric mirror mounted on a galvanometer scanner is moved so as to cause successive pulses to irradiate different segments of the fiber optic array. As a result, each fiber receives radiation having sufficient fluence while reducing the energy per pulse (or the cw equivalent). Rather, than move the energy across the fiber array, the fiber array itself may be moved. One possible manner of movement is use of a piezo electric stack.

Abstract: The present invention is a turn limiter for a catheter with a twistable tip. The catheter having a flexible wall for use in complex twisting anatomy contains a torque wire or a torquable guide wire lumen. The torque wire or torquable guide wire lumen extends through the length of the catheter and is attached to the catheter at or near the distal end thereof. The proximal end of the torque wire protrudes from the proximal end of the catheter and is attached to a turn limiter. Rotation of the turn limiter imparts a torque to the torque wire or torquable guide wire lumen. The turn limiter allows limited rotation of the proximal end of the torque wire or torquable guide wire lumen without axial dislocation. The turn limiter may have a feature for indicating the amount of torque applied to the torque element.

Abstract: A mount for connecting a light source to optical fibers in a fiber optic catheter or the like is disclosed. The optical fibers are bonded to a mount body which mates with a light source. The mount body has a notch on its end, and the ends of the optical fibers project over this notch so that the substrate is not damaged by the light source. The fibers may project over the notch freely, or an insert may be provided in the notch for added stability.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for coupling laser energy into an optical fiber employs a laser with a concave reflector and a planar reflector, a plano-convex focusing lens and an optical fiber array. A divergent laser beam is emitted from the laser and is focused to a beam waist by the plano-convex lens. Within the beam waist exists a soft focal plane wherein the laser energy is relatively homogeneous across the beam's cross section. An optical fiber array is placed within the beam waist such that the soft focal plane substantially matches the size and shape of the proximal end of the optical fiber array. Thus, laser energy is coupled to the optical fiber array at the soft focal plane within the beam waist at a fluence level below the fluence damage threshold of the optical fiber array and in a relatively homogeneous fashion across the cross section of the optical fiber array.

Abstract: A coupler for efficiently coupling a laser light source to a fiberoptic catheter. The coupler contains coding for determining information about the catheter, such as the size of the optical fiber catheter which it is coupling.

Abstract: A device for terminating a surgical apparatus such as a fiber optic catheter is disclosed. A fiber optic catheter having an outer body, an inner body disposed within the outer body to form an outer lumen therebetween and an inner lumen within the inner body, and optical fibers within the outer lumen is terminated at its distal end with a two-piece tip. An outer band of the tip has one end between the outer body and the optical fibers, while an inner band contacts the ends of the inner body and the optical fibers. The terminal faces of the optical fibers may be angled to increase the surface area illuminated or ablated by the fiber optic catheter. The inner and outer bands may be flared outwardly to increase the surface area affected even more. The inner body may also be extended beyond the terminal face to aid tracking of the catheter. The inner body and inner band may be eccentric to the outer body and outer band so that the catheter may be rotated to ablate a larger vascular area.

Abstract: A laser catheter contains groups of optical fibers, each group forming a spiral pattern or radially straight lines, extending from near the inner wall of the laser catheter to the outer wall. The laser catheter is rotated about its longitudinal axis to ablate a target.

Abstract: A coupler for efficiently coupling a laser light source to a fiberoptic catheter. The coupler contains coding for determining information about the catheter, such as the size of the optical fiber catheter which it is coupling.

Abstract: An apparatus to couple a laser beam into a plurality of optical fibers is disclosed. The laser beam, having a naturally rectangular cross sectional area, is passed through a cylindrical lens to focus the laser beam into a focal line. The optical fibers are then arranged in a linear configuration at the focal line to accept the laser beam. A second cylindrical lens may be used to control the length of the focal line to match the length of the linearly configured optical fibers. A method for coupling the laser beam into the linearly configured optical fibers is also disclosed.

Abstract: An optical fiber coupling system is described including a laser for generating a laser beam through a lens having spherical aberration. The spherical aberration in the lens blurs the focal spot, thereby reducing incident fluence levels over the prior art configurations. To further reduce peak fluence levels, a small obscuration is placed between the laser beam and the lens near the center of the lens. The incident end of the optical fiber is then placed at the point where the cross sectional area of the laser beam is smallest, which is closer to the lens than both the location of peak fluence and the paraxial focal point.

Abstract: Ceramic bearings and races, each coated or implanted with metal, glass, boron fibers, carbon fibers, jade or horneblende are disclosed as bearings for the fan assembly of a laser. The bearings and races may be silicon nitride implanted with gold and may be used in the laser without potentially contaminating supplemental lubricants.

Abstract: A coupler for efficiently coupling a laser light source to a fiberoptic catheter. The coupler contains coding for determining information about the catheter, such as the size of the optical fiber catheter which it is coupling.

Abstract: An improved drive coupling and bearing assembly for a recirculation fan in a long-life gas laser unit includes a plurality of frictionless gas bearings which allow journals supporting the recirculation fan to ride on a cushion of compressed laser gas. Mechanical power is transmitted from an external source to the recirculation fan through a magnetic coupling assembly, so that the walls of the sealed laser unit do not have to be breached. Additional structure is provided for spacing the driven magnet in the magnetic coupling assembly from the interior wall of the long-life laser unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides for the ablation of obstructions in vessels such as arteries. A catheter having an optical fiber is used to transmit laser energy to the distal end of the optical fiber. The optical fiber is housed in a lumen within the catheter so that it is eccentric with the catheter and also encompasses the center core of the catheter. A second lumen in the catheter houses a steerable guide wire. The optical fiber is substantially aligned with the distal end of the catheter. This catheter assembly is operated by using the steerable guide wire to advance the catheter assembly to the obstruction, turning the laser on, and then rotating the catheter assembly so that energy from the laser which is emitted from the optical fiber ablates an area which is of a larger diameter than the diameter of the optical fiber. This assembly allows for narrow vessels to be cleared of obstructions with only a minimal chance of perforating the vessel walls.