EP0311458A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Laser balloon catheter
Assignee: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
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Filing: 1988-10-10
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-10-10
Abstract
Abstract A laser balloon catheter intended primarily for coronary angioplasty includes a flexible tube (10) having an inflatable balloon (12) secured to its distal end, a central shaft (26) within the balloon (12) for carrying a guide wire (28), an optical fiber (32) for carrying laser radiation through the flexible tube (10) into the balloon (12), and a tip assembly (24) in the balloon (12) for directing laser radiation outwardly through a major portion of the balloon surface while limiting shadowing by the central shaft (26). The tip assembly (24) preferably includes a tip portion of the optical fiber (32) contained within a transparent, heat-formable tube (38) and formed into a spiral shape around the central shaft (26) by the heat-formable tube (38). The optical fiber tip portion (36) is tapered so that it directs laser radiation outwardly over its length. Deuterium oxide is preferably used for inflation of the balloon (12) because of its very low attenuation of laser radiation in the wavelength range of interest. The disclosed laser balloon catheter is capable of delivering 30-40 watts of laser radiation to a surrounding artery for times on the order of 30 seconds without excessive heating of the balloon assembly.
Inventors
- 👤 Edward L. Sinfosky
- 👤 Maria S. Wagner
- 👤 Douglas William Dickinson
- 👤 J. Richard Spears
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 16:14
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M25/00; A61M25/10; A61M25/104; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/18; A61B18/20; A61B18/22; A61B18/24; A61B18/245; A61B17/00; A61B17/22; A61B2017/22001; A61B2017/22002; A61B2017/22051; A61B2017/22057; A61B2017/22058; A61B2017/22059; A61B2018/2244; A61B2018/2255; A61B2018/2261; A61B90/00; A61B90/39; A61B2090/3933; A61M25/01; A61M2025/0177; A61M2025/1043; A61M2025/1061; A61M2025/1079; A61M25/0067; A61M25/0068; A61M25/0082
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 52
Claim 1
Independent Claim
100 words
A laser balloon catheter comprising: an elongated flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end; an inflatable balloon secured to said flexible tube at or near the distal end thereof; means for inflating and deflating said balloon; central shaft means disposed in said balloon and coupled to said flexible tube; an optical fiber for carrying laser radiation through said flexible tube into said balloon; and tip assembly means in said balloon and coupled to said optical fiber for directing laser radiation outwardly through a major portion of the balloon surface while limiting shadowing by said central shaft means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
100 words
A laser balloon catheter comprising: an elongated flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end; an inflatable balloon secured to said flexible tube at or near the distal end thereof; means for inflating and deflating said balloon; central shaft means disposed in said balloon and coupled to said flexible tube; an optical fiber for carrying laser radiation through said flexible tube into said balloon; and tip assembly means in said balloon and coupled to said optical fiber for directing laser radiation outwardly through a major portion of the balloon surface while limiting shadowing by said central shaft means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
A laser balloon catheter as defined in claim 1 wherein said tip assembly means includes a tip portion of said optical fiber and shaping means for retaining the tip portion of said optical fiber in a desired shape having at least one turn around said shaft means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
A laser balloon catheter as defined in claim 2 wherein said shaping means comprises a heat-formable tube containing the tip portion of said optical fiber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
A laser balloon catheter as defined in claim 3 wherein said shaping means further comprises a material located between said heat-formable tube and the tip of said optical fiber and selected to match the indices of refraction of said heat-formable tube and said tip portion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
A laser balloon catheter as defined in claim 2 wherein said shaping means comprises a PET tube heat formed to the desired shape and containing the tip portion of said optical fiber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
A laser balloon catheter as defined in claim 5 wherein said shaping means further includes epoxy between said PET tube and said tip portion.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
A laser balloon catheter as defined in claim 2 wherein said tip portion of said optical fiber is tapered to a smaller diameter at the distal end thereof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
A laser balloon catheter as defined in claim 5 wherein said PET tube is attached at its distal end to said catheter shaft means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
A laser balloon catheter as defined in claim 2 wherein the tip portion of said optical fiber has a spiral shape.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
A laser balloon catheter as defined in claim 1 wherein said central shaft means includes a laser radiation reflecting outer surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
A laser balloon catheter as defined in claim 2 wherein said tip portion of said optical fiber includes about one full turn per centimeter around said central shaft means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
A laser balloon catheter as defined in claim 1 wherein said inflatable balloon is made of PET.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
A laser balloon catheter as defined in claim 1 wherein said central shaft means comprises an inner tube, a concentric outer tube and a spring coil between said inner and outer tubes.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
A laser balloon catheter as defined in claim 1 further including a gold layer disposed on an outer surface of said central shaft means for reflecting laser radiation.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
41 words
15 . A laser balloon catheter as defined in claim 14 wherein said gold layer is disposed on the outer surface of said central shaft means in a pattern generally matching the shape of the tip portion of said optical fiber.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
46 words
A laser balloon catheter as defined in claim 1 wherein said flexible tube includes a first lumen for inflating and deflating the inflatable balloon, a second lumen for carrying said optical fiber and for venting air bubbles, and a third lumen for carrying a guide wire.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
A laser balloon catheter as defined in claim 7 wherein the tip portion of said optical fiber has a uniform taper.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
A laser balloon catheter as defined in claim 7 wherein the tip portion of said optical fiber has a greater rate of taper near the distal end thereof.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
A laser balloon catheter as defined in claim 7 wherein the tip portion of said optical fiber has a greater rate of taper near the proximal end thereof.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
39 words
A laser balloon catheter as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for inflating and deflating said balloon includes means for inflating said balloon with a liquid having an attenuation of said laser radiation less than that of saline.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
27 words
A laser balloon catheter as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for inflating and deflating said balloon includes means for inflating said balloon with deuterium oxide.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
A laser balloon catheter as defined in claim 21 wherein said laser radiation is in a wavelength range between 0.9 and 1.8 micrometers.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
54 words
A laser balloon catheter as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for inflating and deflating said balloon includes means for inflating said balloon with infusate containing a dye dissolved in a solvent, said dye being responsive to said laser radiation of a first predetermined wavelength for emitting radiation at a second predetermined wavelength.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
47 words
A laser balloon catheter as defined in claim 1 wherein said tip assembly means comprises a tip portion of said optical fiber and transverse waveguide means surrounding said shaft means and said tip portion of said optical fiber for directing laser radiation circumferentially around said shaft means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
20 words
A laser balloon catheter as defined in claim 1 further including an inwardly-facing reflector on a portion of said balloon.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
66 words
A laser balloon catheter as defined in claim 1 wherein said central shaft means includes a spring coil having multiple, relatively-rigid turns and wherein said tip assembly means comprises at least one optical fiber and means for pressing said optical fiber against the turns of said spring coil so that laser radiation is emitted from regions of contact between said spring coil and said optical fiber.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
31 words
A laser balloon catheter as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for inflating and deflating said balloon includes means for inflating said balloon with a fluid containing a contrast media.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
37 words
A laser balloon catheter as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for inflating and deflating said balloon includes means for inflating said balloon with a fluid containing a material with thermally-sensitive optical properties for temperature monitoring.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
27 words
A laser balloon catheter as defined in claim 1 further including a second balloon surrounding said first-mentioned balloon and means for inflating said second balloon with gas.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
55 words
A laser balloon catheter comprising: an elongated flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end; an inflatable balloon secured to said flexible tube at or near the distal end thereof; an optical fiber for carrying laser radiation through said flexible tube into said balloon; and means for inflating said balloon with deuterium oxide.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
55 words
A laser balloon catheter comprising: an elongated flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end; an inflatable balloon secured to said flexible tube at or near the distal end thereof; an optical fiber for carrying laser radiation through said flexible tube into said balloon; and means for inflating said balloon with deuterium oxide.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
72 words
A method of making an optical tip assembly for emitting laser radiation outwardly therefrom along its length comprising the steps of: providing an optical fiber having a tapered tip portion; inserting said tapered tip portion into a transparent tube; and filling the space between said transparent tube and said tapered tip portion with a material that is selected to match the indices of refraction of said transparent tube and said tip portion.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
72 words
A method of making an optical tip assembly for emitting laser radiation outwardly therefrom along its length comprising the steps of: providing an optical fiber having a tapered tip portion; inserting said tapered tip portion into a transparent tube; and filling the space between said transparent tube and said tapered tip portion with a material that is selected to match the indices of refraction of said transparent tube and said tip portion.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
128 words
32 A method of making a laser balloon catheter comprising the steps of: forming a spiral tip assembly at one end of an optical fiber; providing a flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end and having at least two lumens therethrough; attaching a central shaft for carrying a guide wire to the distal end of said flexible tube so that a passage through said central shaft is aligned with one of said lumens; inserting said optical fiber through the other of said lumens so that said spiral tip assembly is disposed at the distal end of said flexible tube around said central shaft; and sealing an inflatable balloon to the distal end of said flexible tube around said spiral tip assembly and said central shaft.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
128 words
32 A method of making a laser balloon catheter comprising the steps of: forming a spiral tip assembly at one end of an optical fiber; providing a flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end and having at least two lumens therethrough; attaching a central shaft for carrying a guide wire to the distal end of said flexible tube so that a passage through said central shaft is aligned with one of said lumens; inserting said optical fiber through the other of said lumens so that said spiral tip assembly is disposed at the distal end of said flexible tube around said central shaft; and sealing an inflatable balloon to the distal end of said flexible tube around said spiral tip assembly and said central shaft.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
110 words
A laser balloon catheter comprising: an elongated flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end; an inflatable transparent balloon secured to said flexible tube at or near the distal end thereof; means for inflating and deflating said balloon; a relatively incompressible central tube located in said balloon and coupled to said flexible tube for carrying a guide wire; and an optical fiber for carrying laser radiation through said flexible tube into said balloon, said optical fiber including a tapered tip portion in said balloon for emitting laser radiation outwardly therefrom, said tip portion extending around said central tube in a spiral configuration having at least one complete turn.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
110 words
A laser balloon catheter comprising: an elongated flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end; an inflatable transparent balloon secured to said flexible tube at or near the distal end thereof; means for inflating and deflating said balloon; a relatively incompressible central tube located in said balloon and coupled to said flexible tube for carrying a guide wire; and an optical fiber for carrying laser radiation through said flexible tube into said balloon, said optical fiber including a tapered tip portion in said balloon for emitting laser radiation outwardly therefrom, said tip portion extending around said central tube in a spiral configuration having at least one complete turn.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
67 words
A laser balloon catheter comprising: an elongated flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end; an inflatable balloon secured to said flexible tube at or near the distal end thereof; an optical fiber for carrying laser radiation through said flexible tube into said balloon; and means for inflating said balloon with a liquid having an attenuation of said laser radiation less than that of saline.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
67 words
A laser balloon catheter comprising: an elongated flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end; an inflatable balloon secured to said flexible tube at or near the distal end thereof; an optical fiber for carrying laser radiation through said flexible tube into said balloon; and means for inflating said balloon with a liquid having an attenuation of said laser radiation less than that of saline.
Claim 41
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of operating a laser balloon catheter comprising the steps of: advancing a catheter having an inflatable balloon secured at or near its distal end and having an optical fiber terminating within the balloon through a body passage to a desired treatment location; inflating the balloon with a liquid having an attenuation of said laser radiation less than that of saline; and directing laser radiation through said optical fiber into said balloon such that the radiation passes through said liquid and said balloon for treatment.
Claim 42
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of operating a laser balloon catheter comprising the steps of: advancing a catheter having an inflatable balloon secured at or near its distal end and having an optical fiber terminating within the balloon through a body passage to a desired treatment location; inflating the balloon with a liquid having an attenuation of said laser radiation less than that of saline; and directing laser radiation through said optical fiber into said balloon such that the radiation passes through said liquid and said balloon for treatment.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
66 words
36 A laser balloon catheter comprising: an elongated flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end; an inflatable balloon secured to said flexible tube at or near the distal end thereof; an optical fiber for carrying laser radiation through said flexible tube into said balloon; and means for inflating said balloon with a fluid containing a material with thermally-sensitive optical properties for temperature monitoring.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
66 words
36 A laser balloon catheter comprising: an elongated flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end; an inflatable balloon secured to said flexible tube at or near the distal end thereof; an optical fiber for carrying laser radiation through said flexible tube into said balloon; and means for inflating said balloon with a fluid containing a material with thermally-sensitive optical properties for temperature monitoring.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
82 words
A laser balloon catheter comprising: an elongated flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end; an inflatable balloon secured to said flexible tube at or near the distal end thereof; an optical fiber for carrying laser radiation through said flexible tube into said balloon; and means for inflating said balloon with infusate containing a dye dissolved in a solvent, said dye being responsive to said laser radiation of a first predetermined wavelength for emitting radiation at a second predetermined wavelength.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
82 words
A laser balloon catheter comprising: an elongated flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end; an inflatable balloon secured to said flexible tube at or near the distal end thereof; an optical fiber for carrying laser radiation through said flexible tube into said balloon; and means for inflating said balloon with infusate containing a dye dissolved in a solvent, said dye being responsive to said laser radiation of a first predetermined wavelength for emitting radiation at a second predetermined wavelength.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
61 words
A laser balloon catheter comprising: an elongated flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end; an inflatable balloon secured to said flexible tube at or near the distal end thereof; an optical fiber for carrying laser radiation through said flexible tube into said balloon; means for inflating said balloon; and an inwardly-facing reflector on a portion of said balloon.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
61 words
A laser balloon catheter comprising: an elongated flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end; an inflatable balloon secured to said flexible tube at or near the distal end thereof; an optical fiber for carrying laser radiation through said flexible tube into said balloon; means for inflating said balloon; and an inwardly-facing reflector on a portion of said balloon.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
99 words
A laser balloon catheter comprising: an elongated flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end; an inflatable balloon secured to said flexible tube at or near the distal end thereof; means for inflating and deflating said balloon; at least one optical fiber for carrying laser radiation through said flexible tube into said balloon, said optical fiber including a tip portion within said balloon; and means for applying lateral stress to said optical fiber tip portion at a plurality of points within said balloon so that said optical fiber tip portion emits laser radiation outwardly through said balloon.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
99 words
A laser balloon catheter comprising: an elongated flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end; an inflatable balloon secured to said flexible tube at or near the distal end thereof; means for inflating and deflating said balloon; at least one optical fiber for carrying laser radiation through said flexible tube into said balloon, said optical fiber including a tip portion within said balloon; and means for applying lateral stress to said optical fiber tip portion at a plurality of points within said balloon so that said optical fiber tip portion emits laser radiation outwardly through said balloon.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
95 words
A laser balloon catheter comprising: an elongated flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end; an inflatable balloon secured to said flexible tube at or near the distal end thereof; means for inflating and deflating said balloon; an optical fiber for carrying laser radiation through said flexible tube into said balloon, said optical fiber including a tapered tip portion within said balloon; and transverse waveguide means surrounding said optical fiber tip portion for directing a portion of said laser radiation around said optical fiber tip portion for a more uniform laser radiation pattern.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
95 words
A laser balloon catheter comprising: an elongated flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end; an inflatable balloon secured to said flexible tube at or near the distal end thereof; means for inflating and deflating said balloon; an optical fiber for carrying laser radiation through said flexible tube into said balloon, said optical fiber including a tapered tip portion within said balloon; and transverse waveguide means surrounding said optical fiber tip portion for directing a portion of said laser radiation around said optical fiber tip portion for a more uniform laser radiation pattern.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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