Claims
- 1. A method of ablating body matter with a laser comprisinga. providing a laser energy source; b. providing at least one optical fiber having proximal and distal ends; c. disposing the optical fiber distal end adjacent body matter; d. directing laser energy through the optical fiber to ablate the body matter; and e. automatically advancing the optical fiber into the body matter at a rate that is coordinated with the power level and the frequency of the laser energy; wherein steps d and e occur simultaneously.
- 2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the optical fiber is advanced at a rate less than the ablation rate of the body matter.
- 3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the optical fiber is advanced at a rate greater than the ablation rate of the body matter.
- 4. A method of performing transmyocardial revascularization comprising:a. providing a xenon-chloride excimer laser energy source; b. providing at least one optical fiber having proximal and distal ends; c. disposing the optical fiber distal end adjacent heart tissue; d. transmitting laser energy through the optical fiber to ablate the heart tissue, the laser energy being transmitted at a power level of between about 10 mj/mm2 and about 60 mj/mm2; and e. automatically advancing the optical fiber into the heart tissue at a constant rate of between about 0.05 mm/sec to about 12 mm/sec.
- 5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the optical fiber is advanced at a rate equal to the ablation rate of the body matter.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation application of co-pending application Ser. No. 08/648638 filed May 13, 1996, which is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
US Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
5733277 |
Pallarito |
Mar 1998 |
|
5766164 |
Mueller et al. |
Jun 1998 |
|
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
WO 9602276 A1 |
Feb 1992 |
WO |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (2)
Entry |
Brochure entitled Helionetics' AccuLase Excimer Laser (TMR System) dated Aug. 6, 1996. |
Copy of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/943,961 entitled Methods and Apparatus for Ablating Tissue, filed on Oct. 6, 1997. |
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
08/648638 |
May 1996 |
US |
Child |
09/653340 |
|
US |