Liquid filled ablation catheter with overjacket

Abstract

Outer jacket embodiments for reinforcing liquid core laser ablation catheter embodiments discussed herein may be used to improve the robustness of the laser ablation catheter embodiments. Method embodiments for making reinforced laser ablation catheters having outer jackets are also discussed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laser ablation catheter, comprising:
 a liquid filled waveguide including a catheter tube having an inner layer with a first index of refraction and an optical fluid disposed within and completely filling an inner lumen of the catheter tube, the optical fluid having a second index of refraction which is greater than the first index of refraction;   a distal optical window disposed in liquid sealed relation to an inner surface of the catheter tube at a distal end of the catheter tube and in optical communication with the optical fluid;   a proximal optical input window disposed in a liquid sealed relation to the inner surface of the catheter tube at a proximal end of the catheter tube and in optical communication with the optical fluid; and   an outer jacket that is disposed over the surface of the catheter tube and that has a proximal end that is disposed at a proximal portion of the catheter tube and a distal end that is disposed at an axial position that is proximal of a distal end of the catheter tube with the outer jacket being secured relative to the catheter tube such that the outer jacket remains substantially fixed along a longitudinal axis thereof relative to the catheter tube, the outer jacket comprising:
 a tubular configuration having an inner lumen with an inner surface that is configured to slide over an exterior surface of the catheter tube with a close fit therebetween; 
 a tubular jacket body that has a longitudinal stiffness greater than a longitudinal stiffness of the catheter tube at the proximal portion of the catheter tube, and 
 a reinforcement that is crush resistant and disposed along the tubular jacket body with the tubular jacket body and reinforcement being configured to increase the stiffness and crush resistance of the laser ablation catheter. 
   
     
     
         2 . The laser ablation catheter of  claim 1  wherein the close fit between the outer surface of the catheter tube and the inner surface of the inner lumen of the outer jacket comprises a clearance of about 0.0005 inches to about 0.004 inches. 
     
     
         3 . The laser ablation catheter of  claim 1  wherein a wall thickness of the outer jacket is thinner than a wall thickness of the catheter tube. 
     
     
         4 . The laser ablation catheter of  claim 3  wherein a ratio of the wall thickness of the outer jacket to the wall thickness of the catheter tube is from about 0.5 to about 0.9. 
     
     
         5 . The laser ablation catheter of  claim 1  wherein the jacket body comprises a tubular inner jacket layer having an inner lumen which is configured to slide over the catheter tube with the reinforcement being disposed on an outer surface of the inner jacket layer, and a tubular outer jacket layer having an inner lumen with interior surface which covers the reinforcement. 
     
     
         6 . The laser ablation catheter of  claim 1  further comprising a radiopaque marker which is disposed at a distal portion of the outer jacket, the radiopaque marker allowing for visualization of the distal end of the outer jacket through standard fluoroscopic imaging. 
     
     
         7 . The laser ablation catheter of  claim 6  wherein the radiopaque marker comprises an axial section of the jacket body which is infused with barium sulfate, the axial section disposed proximal and substantially adjacent to the distal end of the outer jacket. 
     
     
         8 . The laser ablation catheter of  claim 1  wherein the reinforcement comprises a reinforcement wire having a substantially round transverse cross section and which is formed into a tubular coil. 
     
     
         9 . The laser ablation catheter of  claim 8  wherein the diameter of the reinforcement wire is from about 0.0005 inches to about 0.01 inches. 
     
     
         10 . The laser ablation catheter of  claim 8  wherein the reinforcement wire comprises a metal. 
     
     
         11 . The laser ablation catheter of  claim 8  wherein reinforcement wire comprises a para-aramid synthetic fiber. 
     
     
         12 . The laser ablation catheter of  claim 1  wherein the reinforcement comprises a reinforcement ribbon having a substantially rectangular transverse cross section and which is formed into a tubular coil. 
     
     
         13 . The laser ablation catheter of  claim 12  wherein the reinforcement ribbon comprises a metal. 
     
     
         14 . The laser ablation catheter of  claim 12  wherein the reinforcement ribbon comprises a para-aramid synthetic fiber. 
     
     
         15 . The laser ablation catheter of  claim 1  wherein the reinforcement comprises a plurality of reinforcement ribbons each having a substantially rectangular transverse cross section and each formed into a tubular braid. 
     
     
         16 . The laser ablation catheter of  claim 15  wherein each reinforcement ribbon comprises a metal. 
     
     
         17 . The laser ablation catheter of  claim 15  wherein each reinforcement ribbon comprises a para-aramid synthetic fiber. 
     
     
         18 . The laser ablation catheter of  claim 1  wherein the reinforcement comprises a plurality of reinforcements each having a substantially round transverse cross section and each formed into a tubular braid. 
     
     
         19 . The laser ablation catheter of  claim 18  wherein each reinforcement includes a wire comprising a metal. 
     
     
         20 . The laser ablation catheter of  claim 18  wherein each reinforcement includes a wire comprising a para-aramid synthetic fiber. 
     
     
         21 . The laser ablation catheter of  claim 1  wherein a proximal portion of the outer jacket is adhesively bonded to the catheter tube.