Method of and apparatus for laser treatment of body lumens

Abstract From the Canadian patent

A laser microsurgical method and apparatus are disclosed for safely treating occluded body lumens with laser energy. The disclosed method involves the use of pulsed laser energy from an argon-ion laser to destroy the tissue of luminal occlusions, such as atheromatous plaque and the like, with substantially no thermal necrosis of the surrounding tissue. A flexible catheter and associated laser microsurgical system is also disclosed which provides for aiming of the fibers to transmit the laser beam at the distal end of the catheter and rotational positioning of the catheter to permit coverage of virtually the entire cross-sectional area of the lumen. A lens system at the distal end of each …