One described aspect is an optical fiber comprising: a fiber core that extends along a fiber axis, is configured to transmit a laser energy along the fiber axis, and terminates at a distal end with an angled distal face; a jacket that surrounds a proximal portion of the fiber core along the fiber axis, and terminates at a distal end located proximal of the angled distal face; a fiber tip including a proximal end with an angled distal face; and a reflector including a proximal face attached to the angled distal face of the fiber core, a distal face attached to the angled proximal face of the fiber tip, and at least one layer configured to direct the laser energy out of the fiber core along a laser axis generally transverse with the fiber axis, wherein the optical fiber tapers along the fiber axis. Associated laser systems are also disclosed.

Radial emission optical fiber terminations that include conical elements can prevent axial emission and redirect all incident light to radial positions. One termination includes an optical fiber having an up-tapered terminus, the up-tapered terminus having a maximum taper diameter of at least 1.5 times the core diameter and ending at a cone-tip which has an apex angle in a range of about 70 to about 100. Another termination includes a fiber cap that is a unitary construction of a glass tube and an optical element that bisects the glass tube. The glass tube includes an open end adapted to receive an optical fiber and a closed end. The optical element, consisting of fused quartz or fused silica, has an input face proximal to the open end of the glass tube and a conical face proximal to the closed end of the glass tube.

A laser device for the selective treatment of acne comprising: a laser source (1) terminating in an optical collimator (2), which supplies a laser beam; said laser source (1) comprises a switch (13) which allows impulses of said laser beam with pre-defined duration to be transmitted; an opto-mechanical interface (3) comprising a lens (4) focusing the laser beam received from the optical collimator (2); an optical fibre (5) connected to said opto-mechanical interface (3); characterized in that said optical fibre (5) has a length greater than 15 m; and said device comprises a handpiece (10) connected to said optical fibre (5) where said handpiece (10) comprises an optical zoom system (11) which allows the diameter of the laser beam emerging from said handpiece (10) to be varied from 0.5 mm to 5 mm.

This disclosure teaches the use of an endoscopic surgical laser with beam diffraction. During a lithotripsy procedure, an endoscopic probe with a laser fiber is deployed. A diffraction grating within the optical core of the laser fiber disperses the laser energy over a larger area for more effective ablation of renal calculi.

An optical fiber cable is disclosed that includes an outer jacket and a plurality of cores including a first core and a second core. A plurality of channels can extend outwardly from the second core toward the outer jacket. The outer jacket can include a material doped with a photoluminescent material configured to absorb energy from light propagating along the second core causing photoluminescence. The optical fiber cable may include cladding surrounding the first and second cores and the plurality of channels. The first core may propagate a first laser beam having wavelength of substantially 1940 nanometers while the second core and the plurality of channels may propagate a second laser beam having a wavelength of within the range of 360-830 nanometers. A system for providing a medical treatment including a first medical instrument optically coupled to the optical fiber cable is also disclosed.

A steerable laser probe may include a handle, an actuation structure of the handle, a housing tube, a flexible tube, an optic fiber, and a wire having a pre-formed curve. The flexible tube may be disposed within the housing tube wherein a distal end of the flexible tube projects out from a distal end of the housing tube. The optic fiber may be disposed within an inner bore of the handle, the housing tube, and the flexible tube. The wire may be disposed within the housing tube.

Fluid cooled optical fibers are disclosed. An exemplary fiber comprises a fiber body including a distal end, an inner cap surrounding said distal end, an outer cap surrounding said inner cap, and a tube attached to said outer cap. The tube and outer cap may define a first flow channel, the outer and inner caps may define a second flow channel, and the outer cap may including one or openings for placing the first flow channel in communication with the second flow channel. Associated systems also are disclosed.

A steerable laser probe may include a handle having a handle distal end and a handle proximal end, an auto-fixing actuation control, a flexible housing tube having a flexible housing tube distal end and a flexible housing tube proximal end, a first flexible housing tube portion having a first stiffness, and an optic fiber disposed within an inner bore of the handle and the flexible housing tube. An actuation of the auto-fixing actuation control may gradually curve the flexible housing tube. A gradual curving of the flexible housing tube may gradually curve the optic fiber.

A method and apparatus for detecting excess absorption of therapeutic radiation at a bend in a fiber, and the possibility of imminent fiber failure, by monitoring stimulated radiation emission by phosphors in a coating of the fiber, the stimulated emission being caused by leakage of an aiming beam through the cladding into the coating. To accomplish the detection, a conventional monitoring method and equipment are modified to detect the absence of, or an interruption in, the stimulated emission, which is caused by separation of the coating from the cladding in the area of the bend as a result of the excess absorption.

A side-firing laser system with a standoff catheter includes an optical fiber configured to emit therapeutic laser radiation in a direction generally transverse to an axis of the fiber; and a catheter through which the optical fiber is inserted during a surgical procedure. The catheter includes a transparent end section through which the therapeutic laser radiation passes to vaporize tissue outside the catheter, an open distal end to permit exit of irrigation fluid from the catheter, and an opening in a side of the end section, the opening having dimensions that are approximately equal to or less than cross-sectional dimensions of the therapeutic laser radiation. When the fiber is moved to a position at which the therapeutic laser radiation passes through the opening, the laser radiation causes coagulation or vaporization of tissues.