Connection apparatus for optical coherence tomography catheters

Abstract

An optical catheter connection system is described which has two mating assemblies: a motor unit and an optical catheter connector. The optical catheter connector mates to the motor unit for coupling optical signal into and out of a catheter optical fiber and providing drive torque to the catheter optical fiber. The motor unit includes a rotary shaft powered by a motor for providing drive torque to the catheter optical fiber to rotate the fiber. The motor unit further includes a split sleeve for aligning a motor optical fiber with the catheter optical fiber for coupling optical signals between the two fibers. In one embodiment, a shield is provided around the outer surface of the optical catheter connector to help maintain a sterile field by forming a barrier between a clinician's sterile hand, which holds the optical catheter connector, and the non-sterile motor unit.

1 . An optical catheter connector comprising: 
 a hollow catheter ferrule having an opening;    a fiber connector rotatably housed inside the catheter ferrule;    an optical fiber positioned along a rotational axis of the fiber connector; and    a fiber ferrule attached to the fiber connector, wherein the fiber ferrule supports one end of the optical fiber.    
     
     
         2 . The catheter connector of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber ferrule extends outwardly from the opening of the catheter ferrule.  
     
     
         3 . The catheter connector of  claim 1 , further comprising a connector bushing housed inside the catheter ferrule and attached to the fiber connector.  
     
     
         4 . The catheter connector of  claim 3 , wherein the connector bushing has at least two slots, the catheter ferrule has a slot opening corresponding to each slot on the connector bushing, and the catheter connector further comprises: 
 at least two lock tabs attached to the outer surface of the catheter ferrule; and    a gripper attached to each lock tab and adapted to engage one of the slots on the connector bushing through the corresponding slot opening in the catheter ferrule.    
     
     
         5 . The catheter connector of  claim 4 , wherein the lock tabs are made of polycarbonate.  
     
     
         6 . The catheter connector of  claim 4 , wherein the lock tabs are made of plastic.  
     
     
         7 . The catheter connector of  claim 1 , further comprising a drive shaft attached at one end to the fiber connector, wherein the drive shaft encloses a length of the optical fiber.  
     
     
         8 . The catheter connector of  claim 7 , wherein the driver shaft has a high torsional stiffness and a low bending stiffness.  
     
     
         9 . The catheter connector of  claim 1 , further comprising a seal sealed around a portion of the fiber connector.  
     
     
         10 . The catheter connector of  claim 9 , wherein the seal is an ‘O’ ring.  
     
     
         11 . The catheter connector of  claim 10 , further comprising an ‘O’ ring housing fitted around the ‘O’ ring, wherein the ‘O’ ring housing is housed inside the catheter ferrule.  
     
     
         12 . The catheter connector of  claim 11 , wherein the portion of the catheter ferrule enclosing the ‘O’ ring housing has an inner wall that is shaped to prevent the ‘O’ ring housing from rotating inside the catheter ferrule.  
     
     
         13 - 33 . (Cancelled)