Patent ID: 6126653
Filing Date: 2000-10-03
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A method of cutting and vaporizing a tissue body located at a treatment site comprising the steps of:(a) placing an elongated fiber optic having a distal end portion within the lumen of an elongated catheter such that said fiber is operable between an extended position wherein said distal end portion of said fiber protrudes from said distal end of said catheter and a retracted position wherein said distal end portion of said fiber is received within said catheter lumen, said catheter having at a distal end portion a means for removing tissue fragments and debris from said distal end portion of said fiber comprising at least one removal element operably attached to a distal portion of said catheter and extending a distance into said lumen so as to define a space in cross-section through which said fiber optic travels, said space having a cross-sectional dimension less than a cross-sectional dimension of said fiber optic;(b) directing said distal end portion of said catheter to a treatment site and placing said distal end of said catheter adjacent the tissue body to be cut and vaporized;(c) extending said distal end portion of said fiber optic to said extended position and placing said distal end portion of said fiber adjacent to the tissue body to be cut and vaporized;(d) supplying laser energy through said fiber which directs said energy to said tissue, said energy being of sufficient quantity to cut and/or vaporize said tissue body;(e) retracting said fiber within said lumen of said catheter such that said distal end portion of said fiber operably engages at least one removal element in order to remove tissue fragment and debris which have become stuck on said distal end portion of said fiber during the cutting and vaporizing of step (d); and(f) repeating steps (c) through (e) as necessary until the tissue body has been sufficiently cut and vaporized.