Photodynamic therapy system and method

A method for deploying a light-diffusing section of an optical fiber into a subject's target tissue for photodynamic therapy (PDT), comprising:

• axially displacing in a distal direction, a flexible needle device extending in a proximal-distal direction along a delivery axis, said device having an elongated tube with a pointed, needle-like distal tip and having a fiber-receiving lumen to position said distal tip at a site proximal to said tissue;
• axially displacing in a distal direction, said flexible needle device to pierce and penetrate said tissue;
• axially displacing said flexible needle device in a proximal direction to retract said distal tip from said tissue thereby defining a tissue penetrating channel in the tissue;
• and
• axially displacing in a distal direction, through said fiber-receiving lumen, an optical fiber to position the distal end portion of said optical fiber in said penetration channel;
• said optical fiber connected at its proximal end to a light source that emits PDT-effective light to permit light from said light source to enter said optical fiber, and further having a light-diffusing section at its distal end portion for emitting said light in one or more directions.

A method for photodynamic therapy (PDT) of a target tissue of a subject, comprising:

• axially displacing in a distal direction, a delivery catheter with a working channel that extends in a proximal-distal direction and defines a delivery axis to position the distal end of the delivery catheter proximal to said tissue;
• axially displacing in a distal direction, through the working channel, a flexible needle device having a pointed, needle-like distal tip and a fiber-receiving lumen accommodating therein an optical fiber, to cause said tip to pierce the target tissue and lead the distal end of the flexible needle device with the distal end portion of the optical fiber to penetrate said tissue;
• said optical fiber being connected at its proximal end to a light source that emits PDT-effective light to permit light from said light source to enter said optical fiber, and further having a light-diffusing section at its distal end portion for emitting said light in one or more directions;
• axially displacing said flexible needle device in a proximal direction to retract distal said distal tip and to expose said diffuser section and retain it within said tissue;
• injecting a PDT agent to the subject;
• activating said light source to thereby irradiate said tissue with said PDT-effective light emitted from said diffuser section;
• and
• removing said delivery catheter with said flexible needle device and said optical fiber from said subject.