US 10,092,357 B2Granted

Tapered liquid light guide

AssigneeThe Spectranetics Corporation

InventorClint Fix

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Abstract

A catheter tip is provided according to various embodiments of the disclosure. The catheter tip may comprise a distal end, a proximal end, and tubular walls. The distal end includes a distal aperture with a distal inside diameter, and the proximal end includes a proximal aperture with a proximal inside diameter. The proximal inside diameter may be greater than the distal inside diameter. The proximal end comprises attachment means configured to couple the proximal end with a distal end of a laser catheter. The tubular walls may include at least an inside taper from the proximal end to the distal end such that the inner tubular walls generally taper from the proximal inside diameter to the distal inside diameter. Moreover, the tubular walls may be configured to direct at least a liquid medium, for example, a biocompatible solution, toward the distal aperture.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A tapered liquid light guide sheath configured to increase energy density of light emanating from a laser catheter, the tapered liquid light guide sheath comprising:

a proximal end including a proximal aperture having a first cross-section, the proximal aperture being configured to slidably receive the laser catheter;
an elongated tubular body coupled to the proximal end and configured to slidably receive the laser catheter from the proximal aperture;
a distal end including a distal aperture having a second cross-section, the second cross-section being smaller than the first cross-section;
a tapered portion coupled between the elongated tubular body and the distal end, the tapered portion including an inner lumen having a longitudinal axis therethrough and tapering from the elongated tubular body to the distal end, wherein the inner lumen toward the elongated tubular body is larger than the inner lumen toward the distal end, wherein the tapered portion is configured to direct light received from the laser catheter toward the distal aperture, wherein the tapered portion is configured to allow a liquid medium to flow toward the distal end within the inner lumen, and wherein the inner lumen is constructed from a flexible material configured to induce internal reflection of light within the liquid medium;
and,
an extended portion extending longitudinally from the tapered portion and including the inner lumen and the distal end, wherein the extended portion has a circular cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis equal to the second cross-section, wherein the circular cross-section is the same along the length of the extended portion.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/138,949Filed 26 Apr 2016 · continuation
Priority: 21 Jul 2008
Published: US 2016/0310214 A127 Oct 2016
Granted: 9 Oct 2018
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

A61B 18/24
The beam being directed along or through a flexible conduit, e.g. an optical fibre; Couplings or hand-pieces therefor: with a catheter
A61B 18/245
With a catheter: for removing obstructions in blood vessels or calculi
A61B 2018/00577
For achieving a particular surgical effect: ablation
A61B 2018/206
Using laser: the laser light passing along a liquid-filled conduit

Family

Application12/176,886Parent of this continuation · filed 21 Jul 2008
Application14/613,949Parent of this continuation · filed 4 Feb 2015
US 8,979,828 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 17 Mar 2015
US 2016/0310214 A1Pre-grant publication · published 27 Oct 2016
US 9,339,337 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2010/0016842 A1Published application
US 2015/0148790 A1Published application
US 10,092,357 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.