Patent ID: 8256430

Claim:
A method of repairing, reconstructing, coagulating or removing a target tissue comprising: a) identifying a target that comprises tissue to be repaired, reconstructed, coagulated or removed; b) percutaneously inserting a probe having a distal end capable emitting energy; c) positioning said probe such that said distal end is operationally proximate said target tissue; d) emitting energy from the distal end of the probe sufficient to repair, reconstruct, coagulate or remove said target tissue; e) moving the distal end of the probe through the target tissue and emitting energy from the distal end, either successively or simultaneously, until the target tissue has been repaired, reconstructed, coagulated or removed; and f) cooling the distal end of the probe to prevent overheating tissue that is not included in the target tissue by (i) directing cooling fluid to an expansion zone in the distal end of the probe through a supply duct defined by the probe; (ii) allowing the cooling fluid to undergo a phase change to gas in the expansion zone; and (iii) retrieving the gas through a return duct defined by the probe, wherein emitting energy from the distal end of the probe comprises directing laser energy through an optical fiber contained within the probe and deflecting the laser energy off of a chamfered end of the optical fiber located in the expansion zone.