Importance

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Abstract

Phototherapeutic instruments are disclosed having a light transmitting optical fiber with a flexible portion that facilitates passage of the instrument through a tortuous lumen within a patient and an outer support sheath slidably mounted about the fiber. In one preferred embodiment, the instrument includes a rigid light-emitting tip. The support sheath is configured to protect the more delicate optical fiber and provide support for the flexible portion of the optical fiber during penetration of the light-emitting tip into a patient's tissue. During insertion of the instrument into a tortuous lumen, the optical fiber is covered by the support sheath, allowing the light-emitting tip to deflect with ease as it travels along the tortuous lumen. Upon arrival of the light-emitting tip at the site of the target tissue, the operator moves the distal end of the apparatus into selected proximity with the target tissue, and then pushes the fiber element forcing the light-emitting tip to penetrate the target tissue. The flexible portion of the fiber element fits snugly in the sheath so that when the operator pushes on the fiber element from a remote location, the sheath-fiber element configuration provides enough force on the distal end of the light-emitting tip to penetrate the target tissue.

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First Claim