Instrument and method for intraluminally relieving stenosis

An instrument for use in effectively removing anatomical constrictions of the prostatic urethra, the instrument comprising:

• a catheter casing sufficiently long so that a portion of the casing can be inserted into the prostatic urethra within the anatomical constrictions;
• an inflatable balloon, substantially transparent to selected laser radiation and supported on the portion of the catheter casing so that the balloon is insertable into the prostatic urethra within said anatomical constrictions, the balloon being size so that when inflated within the prostatic urethra the balloon assumes a substantially fixed and uniform cross-sectional dimension so as to reconfigure at least a selected part of the tissue of the urethra into a smooth uniform cylindrical shape having an axial direction such that a corresponding portion of the prostate is squeezed from within the urethra and balloon excluding means for comprising the tissue and associated blood vessels of the corresponding portion of the prostate so as to decrease blood flow and promote hemostasis in the tissue, and means for providing for uniformity and increased depth of penetration of said selected laser radiation in the corresponding portion of the prostate;
• a probe axially and rotatably movable within the casing and the balloon;
• means, fixed relative to said probe, for transmitting a beam of said selected laser radiation in a direction transverse to said axial direction through the balloon into at least a volumetric portion of the tissue compressed by the balloon where an anatomical constriction exists;
• a control unit, coupled to said catheter casing and said probe, including means for setting a rotational position of said probe so as to set the transverse direction of the beam of laser radiation relative to said balloon when compressed tissue is exposed to said beam of radiation, and means for moving the probe within and relative to the casing and balloon along the prostatic urethra so as to move said means for transmitting said beam of laser radiation relative to said balloon while transmitting said beam of said selected laser radiation through the balloon directly into at least a portion of the tissue compressed by the balloon;
• and
• means, fixed relative to said probe and movable relative to said casing and balloon, for ultrasonically observing said volumetric portion of said tissue as the tissue is exposed to the beam of laser radiation.