Liquid light-guide catheter with optically diverging tip

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10716625-B2
Application number	US-201715856656-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2017
Priority date	Apr 2, 2008
Publication date	Jul 21, 2020
Grant date	Jul 21, 2020

Abstract

A light-diverting catheter tip is provided according to embodiments disclosed herein. The light-diverting catheter tip may be coupled with the distal tip of a laser catheter and divert at least a portion of the light exiting the distal tip of the laser catheter such that the spot size of the laser beam on an object after exiting the catheter tip is larger than the spot size of the light entering the catheter without the catheter tip. The catheter tip may be removably coupled with the catheter or constructed as part of the catheter. In other embodiment, the catheter tip may conduct fluid and/or divert fluid at the tip of the laser catheter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A catheter comprising:
a sheath having a distal end, a liquid infusion port, and an inner lumen extending from the liquid infusion port to the distal end of the sheath, wherein the inner lumen is configured to receive fluid introduced into the liquid infusion port, wherein the inner lumen has a distal portion;
a diverting tip positioned within the inner lumen, the diverting tip having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the distal end of the diverting tip is larger than the proximal end of the diverting tip and is configured to divert at least a portion of fluid, wherein the distal end of the diverting tip is smaller than the distal portion of the inner lumen; and
a plurality of optical fibers having a distal end disposed within the inner lumen proximal to the diverting tip and configured to transmit light within the inner lumen.

2. The catheter of claim 1 , wherein the diverting tip is hollow.

3. The catheter of claim 1 , wherein the sheath comprises a tubular structure that surrounds the inner lumen, wherein the tubular structure is constructed from a material configured to induce reflection of light within the fluid.

4. The catheter of claim 1 , wherein the diverting tip is constructed from a material configured to induce internal reflection of light within the fluid.

5. The catheter of claim 1 , wherein the diverting tip is further capable of permitting a portion of the light to exit the catheter tip without diverting the light.

6. The catheter of claim 1 , wherein the deflecting member is conical in shape.

7. The catheter of claim 1 , wherein the diverting tip creates a gap between the diverting tip and the sheath.

8. The catheter of claim 7 , wherein the gap is adjustable.

9. The catheter of claim 7 , wherein the diverting tip creates a proximal gap between the proximal end of the diverting tip and the sheath and a distal gap between the distal end of the diverting tip and the sheath.

10. The catheter of claim 9 , wherein the proximal gap is greater than the distal gap.

11. The catheter of claim 1 , wherein the diverting tip is removably coupled to the sheath.

Assignees

• Spectranetics Corp

Inventors

• Splinter Robert
• Carver Robert L
• Giem Ted A
• Taylor Kevin D
• Fix Clint

Classifications

• A61B2018/2261

  with scattering, diffusion or dispersion of light · CPC title

• A61B18/24 Primary

  with a catheter (A61B18/26, A61B18/28 take precedence) · CPC title

• A61B2018/00023

  closed, i.e. without wound contact by the fluid · CPC title

• A61B2018/00577

  Ablation · CPC title