Catheter device for transmitting and reflecting light

A method for delivering and curing a photo-curable material to attach a patch onto an internal surface using a minimally invasive catheter device, wherein the minimally invasive catheter device comprises:

• a shaft including a proximal and distal end;
• a light guide extending through the shaft, wherein the light guide includes at least one optical fiber;
• an expandable mirror-coated balloon including a balloon and a mirror coated on the balloon;
• an actuator configured to expand and retract the mirror-coated balloon, wherein the actuator includes a fluid conduit extending through the shaft and coupled with the mirror-coated balloon to enable inflation and retraction of the mirror-coated balloon via injection or withdrawal of a fluid to or from the mirror-coated balloon via the fluid conduit, and wherein the mirror-coated balloon is displaceably retractable into the shaft and extendable from the shaft;
• a fluid pump coupled with the fluid conduit to pump the fluid through the conduit;
• a light source coupled with the optical fiber to direct light through the optical fiber;
• and
• a patch including a photo-curable material and mounted about the fluid conduit and positioned to be displaced by the balloon when the balloon is inflated and to receive the light from the optical fiber,
• the method comprising:
• penetrating an enclosure with the catheter device, wherein the enclosure contains an internal structure;
• displaceably extending the mirror-coated balloon from the shaft into a position wherein the mirror receives and reflects light emitted from shaft into a position where the mirror receives and reflects light emitted from the light guide to the patch;
• extending the patch including the photo-curable material from the catheter device inside the enclosure;
• placing the patch in contact with internal structure in the enclosure;
• directing light through the catheter device to the mirror;
• and
• reflecting the light with the mirror onto the photo-curable material of the patch to bond the patch to the internal structure.

An insertable light-dispensing catheter device, comprising:

• a shaft including a proximal and distal end;
• a light guide extending through the shaft, wherein the light guide includes at least one optical fiber;
• an expandable mirror-coated balloon including a balloon and a mirror coated on the balloon;
• an actuator configured to expand and retract the mirror-coated balloon, wherein the actuator includes a fluid conduit extending through the shaft and coupled with the mirror-coated balloon to enable inflation and retraction of the mirror-coated balloon via injection or withdrawal of a fluid to or from the mirror-coated balloon via the fluid conduit, and wherein the mirror-coated balloon is displaceably retractable into the shaft and extendable from the shaft;
• a fluid pump coupled with the fluid conduit to pump the fluid through the conduit;
• a light source coupled with the optical fiber to direct light through the optical fiber;
• and
• a patch mounted about the fluid conduit and positioned to be displaced by the mirror-coated balloon when the mirror-coated balloon is inflated and to receive the light from the optical fiber, wherein
• the mirror-coated balloon is displaceably retractable into the shaft and displaceably extendable from the shaft into a position where the mirror receives and reflects light emitted from the light guide to the patch.