Importance

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Abstract

A laser catheter for insertion in a body passage and for treatment of a relatively inaccessible location with laser radiation in a preselected first wavelength range, typically in the mid-infrared band, that is outside the transmission passband of silica optical fibers. The laser catheter includes an elongated flexible tube, an optical fiber for carrying optical pumping laser radiation in a second wavelength range through the flexible tube, and a laser attached to the flexible tube at or near the distal end thereof and responsive to optical pumping laser radiation in the second wavelength range for generating output laser radiation in the first wavelength range. The laser can comprise a cylindrical laser crystal attached to the distal end of the flexible tube and having laser mirrors on opposite end faces thereof. The laser crystal can be a suitable host material doped with a rare earth ion selected to produce the desired output wavelength. A preferred laser crystal is erbium-doped YAG, which produces an output at 2.94 micrometers. The optical pumping radiation is supplied from an external pump laser, which is preferably an alexandrite laser operating in the wavelength range of 0.7 to 0.8 micrometer.

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First Claim