Importance

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Abstract

The disclosure relates to a device for use in removing undesired material, e.g., occlusion or plaque, from a duct or blood vessel within a patient's body. The device comprises a catheter adapted to be disposed within a duct and an element disposed adjacent to the distal end portion of the catheter such as a fiber optic emitting laser energy, a heated element or a knife for intersecting and releasing the undesired material. An inflatable bladder is provided for positioning the distal end portion of the catheter adjacent the inner surface of the duct to maintain the element for intersecting and releasing the undesired material adjacent thereto. The device can also include a pair of abutments disposed adjacent the distal end portion of the catheter to form a chamber adjacent the inner surface of the blood vessle afor receiving the undesired material and for preventing the escape of laser energy after it has been applied to the undesired material. One of the abutments may have reflecting or fluorescing material for relecting back laser energy through an optical receiving fiber that athe undesired material has been removed. The catheter also includes an occluding balloon to impede the flow of blood. Another embodiment comprises a housing having two lumens, one passing a translational and rotational filament and a second containing a fiber optic. Yet another embodiment of the invention comprises a catheter for boring a hole in a total occlusion of a blood vessel. In other embodiments of the invention, the catheter device may have a conically shaped nose to avoid trauma to blood vessels.

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First Claim