US 4,961,738 AGranted

Angioplasty catheter with illumination and visualization within angioplasty balloon

OwnerRobert A. Mackininventor

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Abstract

An angioplasty catheter includes a light source and eyepiece connected by a cable to a proximal portion of a stiff inner catheter of the angioplasty catheter. A plurality of optical fibers carrying light from the light source are attached to or embedded in the stiff inner catheter and terminate just inside an inflatable transparent balloon of the angioplasty catheter to illuminate the interior of the balloon and the walls of an artery, and plaque or other obstruction in the artery. A plurality of optical fibers with distal ends in the proximal portion of the balloon are embedded in or attached to the stiff inner catheter and have proximal ends connected to the eyepiece to enable a physician to view the walls of the artery and the plaque or obstruction before, during, and after an angioplasty procedure.

Claims13

Dependent claims

Angioplasty apparatus comprising in combination:

(a) an elongated, flexible, transparent balloon having a proximal end with a first opening therein and a distal end with a second opening therein;
(b) an outer tube having a proximal end, and a distal end connected in sealed relationship to the proximal end of the balloon so that the first opening opens into the outer tube;
(c) a flexible, semi-rigid inner catheter having a proximal end and a distal end, the inner catheter extending through the outer tube, into the first opening of the balloon, and out of the second opening of the balloon, a portion of the distal end of the balloon around the second opening being attached in sealed relationship to an outer surface of the inner catheter;
(d) means for pumping fluid through a passage between the outer tube and the inner catheter to inflate the balloon;
(e) means extending through the outer tube into the proximal end of the balloon for illuminating material on site, adjacent to the balloon, the illuminating means including an optical fiber having a distal end portion inside the balloon of the proximal end thereof, a midportion extending through the first opening and the outer tube, and a proximal end portion diverging from the outer tube and connected to a light source;
and
(f) means extending through the outer tube into the proximal end of the balloon for visualizing the illuminated material, the visualizing means including optical fiber means having a distal end portion generally symmetrically arranged around the inner catheter to allow visualization of a 360 degree band of an inner surface of a blood vessel artery and having a proximal end portion connected to an eyepiece, a midportion extending through the outer tube and the first opening just into the proximal end of the balloon, and a distal end portion overted to view the interior of the artery and the obstruction;
whereby a physician can generally symmetrically visualize the condition of the interior of the artery and the configuration of an obstruction therein before and/or during and/or after dilating the artery by inflating the balloon despite the presence of the inner catheter.

5 more elements

A method of using an angioplasty catheter including an elongated, flexible, transparent balloon having a proximal end with a first opening and a distal end with a second end, an outer tube having a distal end attached in sealed relationship to the proximal end of the balloon around the first opening, and a flexible, semi-rigid inner catheter extending through the outer tube and the first and second openings of the balloon and attached in sealed relationship to the distal end of the balloon around the second opening, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) advancing a guide wire through a blood vessel to a site in the blood vessel;
(b) advancing the inner catheter, outer tube, and balloon over the guide wire, to advance the balloon to the desired site;
(c) illuminating a circumferential portion of the blood vessel at the site, including illuminating an obstruction at the site, by transmitting light from a light source through the outer tube and the first opening into the proximal end of the balloon;
and
(d) transmitting light reflected from the illuminated circumferential portion generally symmetrically around the inner catheter, through the first opening between the inner catheter and the outer tube into an eyepiece, thereby allowing a physician to visualize the entire circumferential portion of the vessel and also the obstruction at the site despite the presence of the inner catheter.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 07/127,923Filed 2 Dec 1987 · continuation in part
Priority: 28 Jan 1987
Granted: 9 Oct 1990
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification20 codes

A61B 1/018
Characterised by internal passages or accessories therefor: for receiving instruments
A61B 1/00082
Characterised by distal tip features: balloons
A61B 1/3137
For introducing through surgical openings, e.g. laparoscopes: for examination of the interior of blood vessels
A61B 5/283
For electrocardiography [ECG]: invasive