Methods and apparatus to deliver therapeutic, non-ultraviolet electromagnetic radiation to inactivate infectious agents and/or to enhance healthy cell growth via a catheter residing in a body cavity

A medical device assembly for insertion into a cavity of a patient's body and for delivery of fluid to and/or retrieval of fluid from the patient's body, comprising:

• an electromagnetic radiation (EMR) source selected from a group consisting of a solid state laser, a semiconductor laser, a diode laser, and a light emitting diode, the EMR source for providing non-ultraviolet, sterilizing EMR having a wavelength in a range of above 380 nm to 904 nm and having an intensity comprising a radiant exposure of at least 0.5 kJ/cm2 and up to 1.0 kJ/cm2 and power of at least 0.005 mW and up to 1.0 Watt, such intensity being sufficient to inactivate one or more infectious agents;
• a catheter having an elongate catheter body with at least one internal lumen, a coupling end and a distal end, the distal end being insertable into the cavity of the patient's body, wherein the catheter body directs both the fluid and the sterilizing EMR axially relative to the catheter body for at least one of delivery of fluid into the patient's body and retrieval of fluid from the patient's body;
• an optical element conducive to the axial propagation of the therapeutic EMR relative to the catheter body, the optical element having a position with respect to the catheter body of being within at least one internal lumen of the catheter body;
• and
• at least one coupling to connect the radiation source to the catheter body.

A medical device assembly for insertion into a patient's urinary tract and for delivery of fluid to and/or retrieval of fluid from the patient's body, comprising:

• an electromagnetic radiation (EMR) source for providing non-ultraviolet, sterilizing EMR having a wavelength in a range of above 380 nm to 808 nm and having an intensity comprising a radiant exposure of at least 0.5 kJ/cm2 and up to 1.0 kJ/cm2 and power of at least 0.005 mW and up to 1.0 Watt, such intensity being sufficient to inactivate one or more infectious agents;
• a urinary catheter having an elongate catheter body with at least one internal lumen, a coupling end and a distal end, the distal end being insertable into the urinary tract of the patient's body, wherein the catheter body directs both the fluid and the sterilizing EMR axially relative to the catheter body for at least one of delivery of fluid into the patient's body and retrieval of fluid from the patient's body;
• an optical element comprising a fiber optic having a fiber body with an exterior surface, a coupling end, a distal end, a core, and at least one radial emission portion on the exterior surface disposed between the coupling end of the fiber body and the distal end of the fiber body, the fiber body being conducive to the axial propagation of the sterilizing EMR relative to the catheter body, the optical element having a position with respect to the catheter body of being within at least one internal lumen of the catheter body, the radial emission portion allowing the emission of sterilizing EMR radially from the fiber body into the lumen of the catheter;
• and
• at least one coupling to connect the EMR source to the fiber optic.