Devices and methods for directed, interstitial ablation of tissue

A catheter device adapted for delivering laser energy to a body tissue comprising:

• a) a source of laser energy;
• b) an elongate hollow tube including a peripheral wall terminating in a distal closed tip and the peripheral wall defining first and second spaced-apart ports;
• c) an elongate fiber optic extending through said tube and including a distal end having a tip adapted to emit laser energy in a direction generally normal to the longitudinal axis of the device through a third port formed in said wall of said tube, and a proximal end adapted for connection to the source of laser energy, said fiber optic being spaced from said outer wall and said distal closed tip of said tube to define a fluid channel in said tube which surrounds said fiber optic;
• and
• d) means for introducing a fluid or a vacuum through said first and second ports and through said channel for cooling and cleaning said distal end of said fiber optic.

A catheter device adapted for delivering laser energy to a body tissue comprising:

• a) an elongate hollow tube including a closed distal end and a distal peripheral end portion defining a port;
• b) an energy conduit extending longitudinally through said tube including a distal end spaced from and parallel to said port and adapted to emit laser energy;
• and
• c) means for directing the laser energy emitted from said distal end of said energy conduit outwardly through said port in said tube in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said tube and said energy conduit.

A method for vaporizing an amount of tissue of a lobe of the prostate gland, without damaging the urethra or the tissue immediately underlying the urethra, comprising the steps of:

• a) advancing into a lobe of the prostate a hollow tube including a sharp distal end, said tube containing an optical fiber including a proximal end optically coupled to a source of laser energy and including a distal end face beveled at an angle of about between 30° to 50° from the axis of said optical fiber and encased in a fluid-tight capillary tube;
• b) positioning said tube so that a first port formed therein near its distal end and through which laser energy may be emitted is oriented away from the urethra and into the body of the lobe of the prostate and a second port is located on said tube outside of the lobe of the prostate;
• c) transmitting laser energy through said optical fiber of an amount sufficient to vaporize a portion of the lobe of the prostate;
• and
• d) simultaneous with transmission of laser energy, infusing a fluid through a fluid channel of said tube and drawing a vacuum through a second channel of said tube to cool the distal end of said tube and capillary tube and remove hot gasses and fluid from the vaporization zone of the lobe.

A method of vaporizing the tissue of a lobe of a prostate gland comprising the steps of:

• a) advancing a hollow tube including a sharp distal end into a lobe of the prostate gland, said closed distal end of said tube including an interior radial face beveled at about a 45° angle and containing an optical fiber including a proximal end coupled to a source of laser energy;
• b) positioning said tube so that a first port, formed therein near its distal end and through which laser energy may be emitted, is oriented away from the urethra and into the body of the lobe of the prostate, said tube further including a second port located on said tube outside of the lobe of the prostate;
• c) transmitting laser energy through said optical fiber against said radial face of said tube and through said first port to vaporize a portion of the lobe of the prostate;
• and
• d) infusing a fluid through a first channel in said tube and drawing a vacuum through a second channel in said tube to cool said distal end of said tube and remove hot gasses and fluid from the vaporization zone of the lobe.

A catheter device adapted for delivering laser energy to a body tissue comprising:

• a) a laser energy source;
• b) an elongate hollow tube defining first and second spaced-apart ports;
• c) a flexible energy conduit extending through said tube and including a proximal end adapted for connection to the laser energy source and a distal end adapted to emit laser energy to a predetermined tissue site, the distal end portion thereof defining a channel in said tube in fluid flow communication with said first and second ports respectively;
• and
• d) a fluid conduit for passing a fluid or creating a vacuum through said first and second ports and through said channel for cooling said distal end portion and cleaning said distal end of said energy conduit.