Patent ID: 6908460

Claim:
An apparatus for destroying pathogens in a venous blood vessel comprising: (a) a housing having a first and second passageway leading to a cylindrical body, an end portion of the body distal from the first and second passageway enclosing an annular needle housing; (b) a needle having a first portion mounted in the annular needle housing and a second portion extending outwardly to a tip for inserting into a vein of a patient; (c) a sealed enclosure containing a pharmaceutically acceptable solution having a conduit leading to one of the passageways; (d) a first end portion of a quartz optic fiber passing through one of the passageways and through the needle to the tip; (e) a second portion of the quartz optic fiber connected through a hollow tapered connector to a first end of a fiber optic bundle, the fiber optic bundle connected at a second end to a source of UV and visible light whereby the UV and visible light are alternatively conducted to the tip of the needle, while the solution is flowing through the needle to the tip; and (f) the second portion of the quartz optic fiber centered through a center bore in a ball positioned in the hollow tapered connector, the tapered connector attached to a terminal for the quartz fiber optic bundle.