Delivery of intracorporeal probes

A system for debulking a patient's prostate gland, comprising:

• a) a protective sheath having an inner lumen extending therein which is configured to be slidably disposed within a working lumen of a cystoscope;
• b) an elongated optical fiber having a proximal end and a distal end and being slidably disposed within the inner lumen of the protective sheath;
• c) a laser energy source in light transmitting relationship with the proximal end of the optical fiber to deliver laser energy thereto;
• and
• d) rotary drive means to rotate the optical fiber at a rate greater than about 50 revolutions per minute while an axial force is applied to the optical fiber to facilitate penetration by the distal end of the optical fiber through the prostatic urethra into the prostate gland.

A method for treating a male patient for benign prostatic hyperplasia comprising:

• a) advancing an optical fiber having proximal and distal ends through a patient's urethra until the distal end is disposed within a desired portion of the patient's prostatic urethra;
• b) pressing the distal end of the optical fiber against a wall of the patient's prostatic urethra and rotating the optical fiber until the distal end of the optical fiber passes through the wall of the prostatic urethra into a desired region of the patient's prostate gland adjacent the wall;
• and
• c) directing laser energy from a source thereof through the optical fiber and out the distal end thereof to ablate prostatic tissue adjacent the distal end of the optical fiber.