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"I watched his countenance closely, to see if he was not deranged ... and I was assured by other senators after he left the room that they had no confidence in it."
U.S. Senator Smith of Indiana ; After seeing Samuel Morse demonstrate the telegraph.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 5456680 | Fiber optic catheter with shortened guide wire lumen A fiber optic catheter has a short guide wire lumen (less than 10 cm) extending in a proximal direction from its distal end and an intermediate portion reinforced with a tapered mandrel which provides optimal steerability and trackability characteristics.... | 10/10/1995 |
| 5452733 | Methods for performing thoracoscopic coronary artery bypass A method for performing coronary artery bypass relies on viewing the cardiac region through a thoracoscope or other viewing scope and endovascularaly partitioning the patient's arterial system at a location within the ascending aorta. The coronary artery ... | 09/26/1995 |
| 5451233 | Angioplasty apparatus facilitating rapid exchanges Apparatus for introduction into the vessel of a patient comprising a guiding catheter adapted to be inserted into the vessel of the patient and a device adapted to be inserted into the guiding catheter. The device includes a flexible elongate member and a... | 09/19/1995 |
| 5451221 | Endoscopic light delivery system An endoscopic light delivery system for delivering light to tissue includes a laser source for generating light. Fiber optics are optically coupled to the laser source for conveying the light generated by the laser source. A focusing surface is formed at ... | 09/19/1995 |
| 5441497 | Light diffusing guidewire A light diffusing guidewire which has the ability to deliver light to luminal surfaces such as blood vessels for the diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions. The device can be used either in conjunction with another outer catheter such as a balloon ... | 08/15/1995 |
| 5437659 | Angioplasty catheter and method of use thereof Device for use in removing undesired material, e.g., occlusion or plaque, from a duct or blood vessel within a patient's body. The device comprises a catheter (21) adapted to be disposed within a duct and an element disposed adjacent to the distal end por... | 08/01/1995 |
| 5437660 | Tissue ablation and a lateral-lasing fiber optic device therefor A method for removing unwanted material in a body lumen, cavity or organ provides the steps of using an endoscope or other viewing system to position a suitably sized lateral-lasing fiber optic device axially at one or more places in a body lumen, cavity ... | 08/01/1995 |
| 5428699 | Probe having optical fiber for laterally directing laser beam An improved optical fiber for laterally directing a laser beam having a waveguide including a tip for communicating electromagnetic radiation in a propagation direction to the tip of the waveguide, a transmitting surface on the tip of the waveguide, a ref... | 06/27/1995 |
| 5423806 | Laser extractor for an implanted object A lead extraction device which utilizes laser light to separate an implanted object, such as a pacemaker lead, from fibrous scar tissue and thereby permit the implanted object to be extracted from a body. The extraction device features a catheter having a... | 06/13/1995 |
| 5423805 | Laser catheter with moveable integral fixation wires A laser catheter for irradiation of human myocardial tissue containing a movable feedback mechanism for monitoring the damage created by laser irradiation, and which is usable with standard catheters designed for angiography and angioplasty. Means for sen... | 06/13/1995 |
| 5417653 | Method for minimizing restenosis Disclosed is a light angioplasty catheter and method for exposing the interior of a body lumen to a source of light. Light exposure may be accomplished prior to, during, or following conventional balloon dilatation. Also disclosed is a method and apparatu... | 05/23/1995 |
| 5415654 | Laser balloon catheter apparatus A laser balloon catheter apparatus emits laser light, received through optical fiber, via a balloon for irradiating tissue. It includes a laser light emitting means, a coolant supply passage located in the balloon, a coolant discharge passage located in t... | 05/16/1995 |
| 5415653 | Optical catheter with stranded fibers A catheter having an axis extending between a proximal end and an opposing distal end includes a plurality of optical fibers arranged to spiral in a first direction to form a circumferential layer around the axis. Rotation of the catheter in the first dir... | 05/16/1995 |
| 5411466 | Apparatus for restenosis treatment Method and apparatus for treatment and post-treatment of the stenosed region of an artery after reduction of the region by angioplasty or other means by applying a radioactive dose to said reduced region of the artery by positioning a radioactive dose to ... | 05/02/1995 |
| 5400428 | Method and apparatus for linearly scanning energy over an optical fiber array and coupler for coupling energy to the optical fiber array A method and apparatus for relatively moving energy across an array of optical fibers. The energy may be scanned across the fiber array. A dielectric mirror mounted on a galvanometer scanner is moved so as to cause successive pulses to irradiate different... | 03/21/1995 |
| 5395361 | Expandable fiberoptic catheter and method of intraluminal laser transmission A catheter system for intraluminal laser surgery is disclosed. The catheter system comprises an elastically expansible catheter sheath housing a plurality of optical fibers arranged in a circular array about an inflatable balloon. Inflation and deflation ... | 03/07/1995 |
| 5389096 | System and method for percutaneous myocardial revascularization A method and apparatus are described for percutaneous myocardial revascularization of a human heart. A deflectable elongated flexible lasing apparatus is used which includes a source of laser radiation, an elongated flexible radiation conveying means for ... | 02/14/1995 |
| 5380316 | Method for intra-operative myocardial device revascularization The method for intra-operative myocardial revascularization of a human heart includes a inserting a portion of an elongated flexible lasing apparatus into the chest cavity of a patient, and lasing channels from the epicardium through the myocardium of the... | 01/10/1995 |
| 5377683 | Ultrasound-laser surgery apparatus and method A catheter having an ultrasound transducer and associated electrically wiring conducted through a sidewall thereof and a plurality of optical fibers provided in the lumen of the catheter for conveying laser light from an external laser source to the tip o... | 01/03/1995 |
| 5370649 | Laterally reflecting tip for laser transmitting fiber An operating assembly for use in a liquid operating environment includes a flexible elongated light transmitting fiber having a light reflecting tip mounted thereon for reflecting the light beam laterally. The tip includes a number of features which minim... | 12/06/1994 |
| 5350375 | Methods for laser induced fluorescence intensity feedback control during laser angioplasty Methods are provided for laser induced fluorescence intensity feedback and control during laser angioplasty. In a first aspect of the invention, a catheter including an eccentric guidewire lumen and at least one optical fiber is positioned relative to an ... | 09/27/1994 |
| 5346488 | Laser-induced ablation of atherosclerotic plaque A method of ablating atherosclerotic plaque by means of short-duration laser light pulses. A carotenoid, such as beta-carotene, is preferably administered to the patient by injection or ingestion prior to exposing the plaque with laser light. Research dat... | 09/13/1994 |
| 5344419 | Apparatus and method for making a diffusing tip in a balloon catheter system An apparatus and method are disclosed for making a laser balloon catheter (10) having a diffusing tip (24) for propagating a uniform cylindrical pattern of laser energy. Included in the catheter are an elongated flexible tube (12) with an inflatable ballo... | 09/06/1994 |
| 5334207 | Laser angioplasty device with magnetic direction control A laser angioplasty device having magnetic steerability and forward imaging capability. The device includes a probe, an electromagnetic control system coupled with the probe, a fluid injection system, an imaging system, a laser source and a balloon system... | 08/02/1994 |
| 5334206 | Laser light irradiation apparatus A laser light irradiation apparatus used for medical treatment of living tissue. According to a preferred embodiment, the apparatus comprises a probe and a plural number of optical fibers. The optical fibers surround the axis of the probe. Laser light goe... | 08/02/1994 |
| 5330465 | Continuous gradient cylindrical diffusion tip for optical fibers and method for using A diffuser tip for a fiber optic or array of fibers having a proximal end which abuts against the tip of the fiber optic or array of fibers. The diffuser tip has a cylindrical center core of transparent elastomer which contains scattering centers embedded... | 07/19/1994 |
| 5330467 | Cell treatment apparatus and method A catheter arrangement and associated method provides for the application of a cell treatment agent, such as genetic material or drugs to be inserted within the cells of a patient in vivo. The catheter arrangement uses an optical fiber having a prism at i... | 07/19/1994 |
| 5304171 | Catheter devices and methods for delivering A method for conducting laser energy to a site includes steps of bringing the proximal end of a flexible tube near the site, filling at least a proximal portion of the tube with a liquid by introducing the liquid into the tube, allowing a portion of the l... | 04/19/1994 |
| 5302168 | Method and apparatus for restenosis treatment Method and apparatus for treatment and post-treatment of the stenosed region of an artery after reduction of the region by angioplasty or other means by applying a radioactive dose to said reduced region of the artery by positioning a radioactive dose to ... | 04/12/1994 |
| 5303324 | Method and apparatus for providing controlled light distribution from a cylindrical fiberoptic diffuser The invention discloses a cylindrical optical radiating device for obtaining controlled light distribution in a cylindrical pattern from an optical fiber. The device is constructed of a solid cylindrical tip made from material containing an optical scatte... | 04/12/1994 |
| 5293872 | Method for distinguishing between calcified atherosclerotic tissue and fibrous atherosclerotic tissue or normal cardiovascular tissue using Raman spectroscopy A method for distinguishing between calcified atherosclerotic tissue and either fibrous atherosclerotic tissue or normal cardiovascular tissue. The present method is based on the discovery that, when irradiated with a beam of monochromatic infrared light,... | 03/15/1994 |
| 5290279 | Arthroscopic tool combining five functions in one A multi-function arthroscope has a laser channel, an irrigation tube, a suction tube, a rod lens, and optical fibers housed within a tubular casing. The operation site is illuminated by the optical fibers, and the physician views the illuminated site thro... | 03/01/1994 |
| 5275594 | Angioplasty system having means for identification of atherosclerotic plaque An angioplasty system and method for identification and laser ablation of atherosclerotic plaque at a target site in a blood vessel includes fluorescence analysis for identification of noncalcified plaque and calcium photoemission analysis for identificat... | 01/04/1994 |
| 5269777 | Diffusion tip for optical fibers A cylindrical diffuser tip for use with an optical fiber is described. The diffuser tip comprises a silicone core abutted to the terminus of the conventional optical core of an optical fiber, an outer layer of silicone plus a suitable scatterer, and a fin... | 12/14/1993 |
| 5269779 | Laser beam guiding fiber assembly A laser beam guiding fiber comprising, in a tip portion of an optical fiber, an oscillating member which oscillates the tip of the optical fiber along a direction which intersects an axis of the optical fiber can irradiate a wide range with laser beam, si... | 12/14/1993 |
| 5263952 | Two-piece tip for fiber optic catheter A device for terminating a surgical apparatus such as a fiber optic catheter is disclosed. A fiber optic catheter having an outer body, an inner body disposed within the outer body to form an outer lumen therebetween and an inner lumen within the inner bo... | 11/23/1993 |
| 5261904 | Laser catheter having diffraction grating for beam shaping A laser catheter includes an elongated tubular catheter body, one or more optical fibers extending through the catheter body and a catheter window mounted at the distal end of the catheter body. The optical fibers direct laser energy through the catheter ... | 11/16/1993 |
| 5257991 | Instrumentation for directing light at an angle A method and apparatus for directing light at an angle provides an optical fiber with a bevelled end which internally reflects light or refracts light from the bevelled end at an angle to the fiber's axis depending on the bevelled angle. The apparatus als... | 11/02/1993 |
| 5254112 | Device for use in laser angioplasty Apparatus for use in removing atherosclerotic plaque deposits in a blood vessel comprises a high power laser, an elongated, flexible catheter adapted to be inserted into and advanced through the blood vessel, a plurality of circumferentially arrayed optic... | 10/19/1993 |
| 5250045 | Optical fiber catheter with spaced optical fiber A laser catheter contains groups of optical fibers, each group forming a spiral pattern or radially straight lines, extending from near the inner wall of the laser catheter to the outer wall. The laser catheter is rotated about its longitudinal axis to ab... | 10/05/1993 |
