Importance

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Abstract

A device for terminating a surgical apparatus such as a fiber optic catheter is disclosed. A fiber optic catheter having an outer body, an inner body disposed within the outer body to form an outer lumen therebetween and an inner lumen within the inner body, and optical fibers within the outer lumen is terminated at its distal end with a two-piece tip. An outer band of the tip has one end between the outer body and the optical fibers, while an inner band contacts the ends of the inner body and the optical fibers. The terminal faces of the optical fibers may be angled to increase the surface area illuminated or ablated by the fiber optic catheter. The inner and outer bands may be flared outwardly to increase the surface area affected even more. The inner body may also be extended beyond the terminal face to aid tracking of the catheter. The inner body and inner band may be eccentric to the outer body and outer band so that the catheter may be rotated to ablate a larger vascular area.

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First Claim