Method of thermally treating blood vessels

A method of thermally treating a blood vessel comprising:

• inserting a catheter into a blood vessel, the catheter having a catheter connector at its proximal end;
• inserting through the catheter a longitudinal thermal delivery device whose distal portion defines an energy emitting portion, the thermal delivery device having a stop attached thereto at a selected distance from the energy emitting portion;
• and
• connecting the stop with the catheter connector such that the energy emitting portion extends past the distal end of the catheter by a predetermined distance.

A method of treating a blood vessel using laser energy comprising:

• inserting a catheter into a blood vessel, the catheter having a catheter connector at its proximal end;
• inserting through the catheter an optical fiber having a permanent stop attached thereto at a selected distance from the distal end of the optical fiber;
• connecting the permanent stop with the catheter connector such that the distal end of the optical fiber extends past the distal end of the catheter by a predetermined distance;
• withdrawing the locked catheter and optical fiber while heat is being applied to the blood inside the blood vessel through the distal end of the optical fiber.

A method of treating a varicose vein using laser energy comprising:

• inserting through a puncture site a catheter into a vein, the catheter having a catheter connector at its proximal end;
• inserting through the inserted catheter an optical fiber having a permanent stop attached thereto at a selected distance from the distal end of the optical fiber, the permanent stop having a permanent stop connector adapted to be mated with the catheter connector;
• after the optical fiber is inserted through the catheter, locking the permanent stop connector with the catheter connector such that the distal end of the optical fiber extends past the distal end of the catheter by a predetermined distance;
• and
• withdrawing the locked catheter and optical fiber while heat is being applied to the blood inside the vein through the distal end of the optical fiber.