Laser angioplasty device with magnetic direction control

A device for performing laser excision within a vessel, the device comprising:

• a laser fiber having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end having a distal end portion with a laser fiber tip, the distal end portion of said laser fiber being insertable into a vessel;
• a magnetized sleeve disposed around the distal end portion of said laser fiber;
• laser means, operatively connected to the proximal end of said laser fiber, for emitting laser pulses from the laser fiber tip;
• a plurality of control wires insertable into the vessel with said laser fiber, each one of said control wires having a proximal end and a distal end, said control wires being spaced around said laser fiber with the distal end of each one of said control wires proximate to magnetized sleeve;
• a plurality of magnetic cores located proximate to the proximal end of said control wires outside of the vessel, said magnetic cores being capable of inducing magnetic fields in the distal ends of said control wires;
• circuit means, operatively connected to said magnetic cores, for producing and altering magnetic fields in said magnetic cores;
• and
• a joystick operatively connected to said circuit means;
• wherein movement of said joystick cooperates with said circuit means to alter the magnetic fields of said magnetic cores, wherein altering the magnetic fields in said magnetic cores alters the induced magnetic fields in the distal ends of said control wires, and wherein altering the induced magnetic fields in the distal ends of said control wires alters the orientation of said magnetic sleeve to aim the distal end portion of said laser fiber.