Laser catheter for bypass surgery and assembly comprising said catheter
Inventors
Tulleken, Cornelis Antonius Franciscus
Assignees
Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-8734436-B2
Publication Date
2014-05-27
Expiration Date
Abstract
The invention is directed to a laser catheter (1) for bypass surgery, wherein the distal part (2) of the catheter (1) is provided with: a tubular arrangement (3) of optical fibers (4) having distal ends (5) defining a ring-shaped light emergence surface (6) for emitting a tubular bundle of light beams in the distal direction (D) of the catheter (1); and a stop surface (7) extending around the tubular arrangement (3) of optical fibers (4) and facing in the distal direction (D), the stop surface (7) being arranged at a distance (A) proximally from the light emergence surface (6). The light emergence surface (6) slants at a slanting angle (α) in the range of [20°, 60°] with respect to the longitudinal axis (8) of the catheter (1). The invention further relates to an assembly comprising such a catheter.
Core Innovation
The disclosed invention relates to a laser catheter for bypass surgery in which the distal part of the catheter includes a tubular arrangement of optical fibres. The fibre ends terminate with an angle so that distal ends define a ring-shaped light emergence surface that emits a tubular bundle of light beams in the distal direction of the catheter, and the distal part also includes a stop surface extending around the tubular arrangement of optical fibres and facing in the distal direction.
The stop surface is arranged at a distance proximally from the light emergence surface so that the stop surface and the light emergence surface are separated along the longitudinal axis. The light emergence surface slants at a slanting angle in the range 20°–60° with respect to the longitudinal axis of the catheter, and the slanted emergence surface is described as enabling slanting ETS-anastomosis.
In further embodiments, the distal tubular arrangement of optical fibres can have a circular cross section, and the light emergence surface can have an elliptical shape when viewed perpendicular to it. A vacuum gripper can be included with a suction mouth and a suction surface arranged in relation to the light emergence surface, with the suction surface configured to be parallel to the light emergence surface.
Additionally, the catheter can be provided in a bypass-surgery assembly using a ring member that guides insertion and limits catheter advancement while maintaining orientation by preventing passage of the stop surface through the ring member.
Claims Coverage
The independent claim is clm-00001. The claim coverage focuses on the distal tubular arrangement of optical fibres forming a ring-shaped light emergence surface, a proximally spaced stop surface, and a slanting light emergence surface at a specified angle range, with dependent claims refining geometry and optional structural and handling features.
Distal tubular fibre arrangement with ring-shaped slanting light emergence surface
A tubular arrangement of optical fibres in the distal part, with fibre ends terminating with an angle so that distal ends define a ring-shaped light emergence surface for emitting a tubular bundle of light beams in the distal direction.
Proximally spaced distal stop surface around the tubular fibre arrangement
A stop surface extending around the tubular arrangement of optical fibres and facing in the distal direction, arranged at a distance proximally from the light emergence surface.
Slanting angle relative to the longitudinal axis
The light emergence surface slants at a slanting angle in the range 20°–60° with respect to the longitudinal axis of the catheter.
Vacuum gripper with suction mouth and hollow channel
A gripper comprising a hollow channel extending within the tubular arrangement of fibres and connectable to a vacuum source, with the distal end defining a suction mouth.
Suction mouth positioned relative to the light emergence surface with parallel suction surface
The suction mouth is arranged at a distance proximally from the light emergence surface and defines a suction surface parallel to the light emergence surface.
Ring-member bypass-surgery assembly guiding insertion and blocking stop-surface passage
An assembly comprising the laser catheter and a ring member adapted to allow insertion of the distal end of the tubular arrangement through the ring member and to prevent passage of the stop surface through the ring member.
The core claim coverage is the distal optical-fibre geometry with a ring-shaped light emergence surface emitting a tubular bundle, the separated distal stop surface, and the slanted emergence surface at a specified angle range, with further refinements including geometric constraints, optional vacuum gripper features, and a ring-member assembly that constrains insertion and stop-surface passage.
Stated Advantages
Enables slanting ETS-anastomosis.
Documented Applications
Bypass surgery using ETS-anastomosis, including slanting ETS-anastomosis, with a laser catheter and associated bypass-surgery assembly components.
Interested in licensing this patent?