Patent ID: 7137977

Claim:
An apparatus for treating a biological tissue of a patient in situ, comprising: a. an optical fiber for guiding a coherent waveform of a selected wavelength to a fiber tip for discharge of light energy from said fiber tip in a direction of energy discharge, said wavelength selected to have a low absorption in water; b. said fiber tip contained within a guide member having a discharge bore for said direction of energy discharge to define an unobstructed light pathway from the fiber tip through a discharge end of said discharge bore; c. said guide member further having a smooth, curved surface to be placed against a surface of said tissue for said guide member to be slidable along said surface in atraumatic sliding engagement and with said end of said discharge bore opposing said surface and with said fiber tip spaced from said tissue in a substantially fixed spacing; d. a fluid pathway in fluid flow communication with said guide member to admit a bio-compatible flushing fluid to said discharge bore; e. said fiber adapted to be connected to a source of energy for energizing said source during said movement with an application of energy selccted to form a lesion in an atrial tissue without perforation of said atrial tissue through a thickness of said atrial tissue.