Systems and methods for steering a catheter through body tissue
AssigneeIntraluminal Therapeutics, Inc.
InventorsThomas R. Winston, John M. Neet
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Catheters for photoablating plaque build-up in blood vessels are described. In one form, the catheter includes a catheter body having a first group of optic fibers and a second group of optic fibers. The first group of optic fibers is adjacent the second group of optic fibers, and each group of optic fibers includes at least one optic fiber having a first end and a second end. The second ends of the respective optic fibers form a substantially rounded hemispherical catheter head. A control element is coupled to the catheter body and is configured to selectively transmit energy through either the first group of optic fibers, or the second group of optic fibers, or both the first and second groups of optic fibers.
Claims20
A catheter body comprising:
- at least two groups of optic fibers, each group of optic fibers comprising at least one optic fiber having a first end and a second end, said optic fiber second ends forming a substantially hemispherical catheter head;
- and
- a control element communicatively coupled to said catheter body, said control element configured to transmit energy through said at least one optic fiber of at least one of said at least two optic fiber groups, said control element configured to selectively transmit energy through any group of said optic fibers or through any combination of said at least two groups, said substantially hemispherical catheter head configured to ablate a tissue adjacent said second end of said at least one optic fiber through which energy is transmitted.
A method for steering a medical apparatus through body tissue, the apparatus including a catheter body comprising at least two groups of optic fibers, each group of optic fibers comprising at least one optic fiber having a first end and a second end, the optic fiber second ends forming a substantially hemispherical catheter head and a control element configured to selectively transmit energy through any group of said optic fibers or through any combination of said at least two groups, said method comprising the steps of:
- positioning the substantially hemispherical catheter head adjacent the body tissue so that the second end of the at least one optic fiber of at least one group of optic fibers is adjacent the body tissue;
- and
- energizing the at least one group of optic fibers adjacent the body tissue.
A medical system comprising:
- a catheter comprising a catheter body, said catheter body comprising at least two groups of optic fibers, each group of optic fibers comprising at least one optic fiber having a first and a second end, said optic fiber second ends forming a substantially, hemispherical catheter head, said substantially hemispherical catheter head having at least two portions, each portion corresponding to one of said at least two groups of optic fibers;
- and
- control element communicatively coupled to said catheter, said control element configured to transmit energy through said catheter to a body tissue adjacent at least one portion of said substantially hemispherical catheter head so that at least one of said at least two catheter head portions is energized.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.