Side-firing fiber delivery device with active cooling cap

Abstract

A medical laser system and related methods of utilizing cooling within and around an optical fiber tip to prevent premature failure of the optical fiber. The optical fiber is surrounded by protective jacket assembly including a body tube assembly and a tip cap assembly. The body tube assembly includes an internal fiber jacket and an external body tube with a body tube channel defined therebetween. The tip cap assembly includes an inner cap member and an outer cap member defining a cap irrigation channel therebetween. Together, the cap irrigation channel and body tube channel cooperatively define an internal irrigation channel. The optical fiber can be delivered to a treatment location through a cystoscope. Saline is directed through an external irrigation channel between the cystoscope and the protective jacket assembly as well as the internal irrigation channel to cool the fiber tip and prevent overheating and failure of the optical fiber.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An optical fiber for medical procedures comprising:
 an internal fiber terminating at a fiber tip, the internal fiber being surrounded by a body tube assembly at a proximal portion of the internal fiber and by a tip cap assembly at the fiber tip, the tip cap assembly and body tube defining an internal irrigation channel for cooling the fiber tip during a medical laser procedure.   
     
     
         2 . The optical fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the tip cap assembly comprises an inner cap member and an outer cap member, a cap irrigation channel being defined between the inner cap member and the outer cap member. 
     
     
         3 . The optical fiber of  claim 2 , wherein the body tube assembly comprises an internal fiber jacket and an external body tube, a body tube channel being defined between the internal body tube and the external body tube, and wherein the cap irrigation channel and the body tube channel cooperatively define the internal irrigation channel. 
     
     
         4 . The optical fiber of  claim 2 , wherein the outer cap member includes an exterior surface having a side-firing port for directing laser energy from the fiber tip to a treatment location. 
     
     
         5 . The optical fiber of  claim 4 , wherein the outer cap member provides a physical barrier preventing contact between the fiber tip and the treatment location during a treatment procedure. 
     
     
         6 . The optical fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the body tube assembly and tip cap assembly are adapted for introduction through a cystoscope, whereupon an internal saline flow can be directed through the internal irrigation channel and an external saline flow can be directed between the cystoscope and the body tube assembly and tip cap assembly to simultaneously cool the fiber tip. 
     
     
         7 . A method for preventing overheating a medical optical fiber during a medical treatment procedure comprising:
 providing an optical fiber having an internal fiber jacket surrounding by a protective jacket assembly, wherein an internal irrigation channel is defined between the internal fiber jacket and the protective jacket assembly;   directing an internal saline flow stream through the internal irrigation channel; and   removing heat energy generated at a fiber tip during treatment with the internal saline flow stream.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 accessing an internal treatment site with a cystoscope; and   advancing the optical fiber through the cystoscope such that the fiber tip is proximate the internal treatment site.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 directing an external saline flow stream through a gap defined between the cystoscope and the protective jacket assembly.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the protective jacket assembly comprise a tip cap assembly proximate the fiber tip, the tip cap assembly including an inner cap member and an outer cap member, wherein the internal irrigation channel is defined between the inner cap member and the outer cap member. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 directing laser energy from the fiber tip through a side-firing port in the outer cap member.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 preventing adhesion of ablated tissue to the fiber tip by maintaining a physical gap between the fiber tip and a treatment site.   
     
     
         13 . A medical laser system comprising:
 a laser unit for generating laser treatment energy; and   an optical fiber attached to the laser unit for directing the laser treatment energy to a treatment location, the optical fiber including an internal fiber jacket surrounding by a protective jacket assembly such that an internal irrigation channel is defined between the internal fiber jacket and the protective jacket assembly such that an internal saline flow can be directed through the internal irrigation channel to cool a fiber tip on the optical fiber.   
     
     
         14 . The medical laser system of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a cystoscope for accessing a treatment site within the patients body, the optical fiber adapted for insertion through the cystoscope such that an external saline flow can be directed between the cystoscope and the protective jacket assembly.   
     
     
         15 . The medical laser system of  claim 13 , wherein the external fiber jacket comprises a body tube assembly at a proximal portion of the internal fiber jacket and a tip cap assembly at the fiber tip. 
     
     
         16 . The medical laser system of  claim 15 , wherein the tip cap assembly comprises an outer cap member and an inner cap member, the outer cap member including an exterior surface having a side-firing port for directing laser energy from the fiber tip to the treatment location. 
     
     
         17 . The medical laser system of  claim 16 , wherein the outer cap member provides a physical barrier preventing contact between the fiber tip and the treatment location during a treatment procedure.