Device and method for endovascular treatment for causing closure of a blood vessel

Abstract

An endovascular laser treatment device for causing closure of a blood vessel uses an optical fiber adapted to be inserted into a blood vessel. An inner sleeve is arranged around a distal portion of the optical fiber core such that both distal ends of the inner sleeve and the optical fiber core form an enlarged light emitting face. The enlarged emitting face provides substantially lower power density while providing the same amount of total energy during a treatment session. An outer sleeve arranged around the inner sleeve acts as a spacer to position the light emitting face away from an inner wall of the blood vessel. The enlarged light emitting face and the outer sleeve acting as a spacer reduces the possibility of thermal run-away and device damage, and reduce the possibility of vessel perforations, leading to less bruising, post-operative pain and other clinical complications. In yet another aspect of the present invention, a spacer comprises an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve both arranged around a distal portion of the core to prevent the laser light from traveling laterally and to position the light emitting face away from an inner wall of the vessel. The inner sleeve can be a heat resistive material such as ceramic and the outer sleeve can be, for example, a metallic sleeve to provide structural integrity and strength to the distal section of the treatment device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An endovascular laser treatment device for causing closure of a blood vessel comprising:
 an optical fiber adapted to be inserted into a blood vessel and having a core through which a laser light travels;   an inner sleeve arranged around a distal portion of the core such that distal ends of the inner sleeve and the optical fiber core form an enlarged light emitting face; and   an outer sleeve arranged around the inner sleeve to position the light emitting face away from an inner wall of the blood vessel.   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the light emitting face has a curved profile. 
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 1  wherein the outer sleeve has an outwardly bulging portion. 
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 3 , wherein the outwardly bulging portion has a bulb-like profile. 
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 3 , wherein the outwardly bulging portion has a conical shape portion whose diameter increases in the distal direction. 
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 3 , wherein the outwardly bulging portion has:
 a conical shape portion whose diameter increases in the distal direction; and   a cylindrical portion extending distally from the conical shape portion.   
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 3 , wherein the outwardly bulging portion has:
 a first conical shape portion whose diameter increases in the distal direction;   a cylindrical portion extending distally from the first conical shape portion; and   a second conical shape portion extending distally from the cylindrical portion.   
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the distal end of the outer sleeve has a radiused profile to provide a smooth advancement through the blood vessel. 
     
     
         9 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the light emitting face is positioned a selected distance proximally from the distal end of the outer sleeve. 
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the light emitting face is positioned a selected distance distally from the distal end of the outer sleeve. 
     
     
         11 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising an annular air cladding positioned between the core and the inner sleeve. 
     
     
         12 . The device according to  claim 11 , wherein the annular air cladding has a closed distal end. 
     
     
         13 . The device according to  claim 11 , wherein the annular air cladding has a closed distal end and a closed proximal end. 
     
     
         14 . The device according to  claim 11 , wherein the annular air cladding has a constant width. 
     
     
         15 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the core of the optical fiber is less than 600 microns in diameter. 
     
     
         16 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the core of the optical fiber is less than 450 microns in diameter. 
     
     
         17 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the distal ends of the inner sleeve and the core are fused to form the enlarged light emitting face. 
     
     
         18 . The device according to  claim 17 , wherein the distal ends of the inner sleeve and the core are heat fused. 
     
     
         19 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the inner sleeve has a closed distal end; and   the closed distal end of the inner sleeve and the distal end of the core are heat fused to form the enlarged light emitting face.   
     
     
         20 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the inner sleeve is a silica sleeve; and   the distal ends of the silica sleeve and the core are fused to form the enlarged light emitting face.