Importance

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Abstract

A tip element is provided for attachment to a small hand-held elongate surgical tool, to enable a surgeon to utilize laser light energy conveyed along a single optical fiber and converted at a fine point of the tip element into a high temperature energy flux. Thus, instead of emitting laser light energy directly to a patient's tissues, the surgeon applies an extremely hot pointed tip very precisely to generate such high local temperatures as to substantially vaporize or gasify the tissue. An annulus is defined adjacent to and immediately around the heated portion of the tip element so that vapors and gaseous products generated during use of the device are immediately removed from the surgical site. An electrical connection may be provided to a distal portion of the tip element close to its heated point to enable a surgeon to contact a bleeding blood vessel thereby to effect cauterization by a cauterization current driven through the patient's body and controlled by a foot-operated switch.

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First Claim