Patent ID: 8320725

Claim:
An medical laser system for delivering laser radiation to a patient, comprising: a laser configured to provide radiation at a wavelength λ; and a conduit configured to deliver radiation at a wavelength λ from the laser to a target location of the patient, the conduit comprising: a photonic crystal fiber waveguide extending along a waveguide axis, the photonic crystal fiber waveguide being a flexible waveguide having a hollow core, the photonic crystal fiber waveguide being configured to guide the radiation at λ through the core along the waveguide axis; and a second optical waveguide extending along the waveguide axis, the second optical waveguide being coupled to the photonic crystal fiber waveguide to deliver the radiation to or receive the radiation from the photonic crystal fiber waveguide, wherein the second optical waveguide is a non-photonic crystal fiber waveguide and the second optical waveguide has a hollow core.