Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
132 words
A method for controlling the effectiveness of fluid flushing in a blood vessel, comprising the steps of: advancing a catheter through a blood vessel to a region of interest, said catheter including an optical fiber extending therethrough; introducing a flushing fluid into the region of interest in the blood vessel; stimulating fluorescence from material in the region of interest adjacent to the distal end of said optical fiber by transmitting through said optical fiber laser radiation having a wavelength and intensity to stimulate such fluorescence; monitoring the intensity of the fluorescence from material in the region of interest; and increasing the amount of flushing fluid in the region of interest if the intensity of said fluorescence is representative of less than a desired amount of flushing fluid in the region of interest.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
132 words
A method for controlling the effectiveness of fluid flushing in a blood vessel, comprising the steps of: advancing a catheter through a blood vessel to a region of interest, said catheter including an optical fiber extending therethrough; introducing a flushing fluid into the region of interest in the blood vessel; stimulating fluorescence from material in the region of interest adjacent to the distal end of said optical fiber by transmitting through said optical fiber laser radiation having a wavelength and intensity to stimulate such fluorescence; monitoring the intensity of the fluorescence from material in the region of interest; and increasing the amount of flushing fluid in the region of interest if the intensity of said fluorescence is representative of less than a desired amount of flushing fluid in the region of interest.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the step of increasing the amount of flushing fluid is performed until the fluorescence intensity exceeds a predetermined value representative of the desired amount of flushing fluid in the region of interest.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as defined in claim 2 wherein the step of monitoring the fluorescence intensity includes monitoring the sum of fluorescence intensities at two or more wavelengths.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as defined in claim 3 wherein the step of monitoring the sum of fluorescence intensities includes monitoring the sum of fluorescence intensities at 380 nanometers and 440 nanometers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as defined in claim 2 wherein the step of monitoring the fluorescence intensity includes monitoring the fluorescence intensity near a single wavelength.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as defined in claim 5 wherein the step of monitoring the fluorescence intensity near a single wavelength is performed near 380 nanometers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the step of increasing the amount of flushing fluid includes increasing a rate of fluid flow to the region of interest.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the step of increasing the amount of flushing fluid includes introducing additional fluid into the region of interest.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said flushing fluid is substantially transparent to the fluorescence wavelengths of interest.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said flushing fluid comprises saline.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the step of stimulating fluorescence includes transmitting laser radiation in a wavelength range of 280 to 400 nanometers.