Guidance and delivery system for high-energy pulsed laser light

A deflectable catheter having a distal tip and a proximal end, comprising:

• a fiber optic core that includes a plurality of optical fibers;
• said core being fixed to the distal tip of the catheter and extending to the proximal end thereof so as to convey laser energy from the proximal end of the catheter and emit the laser energy from the distal tip in a forward direction;
• said optical fibers being arranged in rows, wherein each row is twisted in a direction that is opposite to a direction of adjacent rows;
• hollow means for encasing said core;
• said hollow means including a deflecting region, said deflecting region having a first side and a second side, said first side being on an opposite side of a plane extending axially through said hollow means than said second side;
• said first side of said deflecting region being more compressible than said second side of said deflecting region;
• said core being fixed to said hollow means at a distal end of said deflecting region;
• and
• control means mounted at the proximal end of said core and said hollow means for applying tension to said core with respect to said hollow means so that said tension causes said first side of said deflecting region to compress a greater amount than said second side, thus deflecting the deflecting region.

A deflectable catheter having a distal tip and a proximal end, comprising:

• a fiber optic core extending from the distal tip of the catheter to the proximal end thereof;
• hollow means for encasing said core;
• said hollow means including a deflecting region, said deflecting region having a first side and a second side, said first side being on an opposite side of a plane extending axially through said hollow means than said second side;
• said first side of said deflecting region being more compressible than said second side of said deflecting region;
• said core being fixed to said hollow means at a distal end of said deflecting region;
• and
• control means mounted at it proximal end of said core and said hollow means for applying tension to said core with respect to said hollow means so that said tension causes said first side of said deflecting region to compress a greater amount than said second side, thus deflecting the deflecting region;
• said fiber optic core being fixed to the distal tip of the catheter so as to permit laser energy to be emitted in a forward direction of the catheter.

A deflectable catheter having a distal tip and a proximal end, comprising:

• a fiber optic core having an outer diameter and extending from the distal tip of the catheter to the proximal end thereof;
• hollow means having an inner diameter for encasing said core;
• said hollow means including a deflecting region;
• said core being fixed to said hollow means at a distal end of said deflecting region;
• control means mounted at a proximal end of said core and said hollow means for applying a tension to said core so as to cause deflection of the deflecting region;
• and
• said fiber optic core being exposed at a distal tip of the core so as to permit emission of laser energy in a forward direction;
• and
• wherein a difference between the outer diameter of the core and the inner diameter of the hollow means enables adequate bending of the deflecting region and enables the core to provide support for the hollow means during deflection of the hollow means.