A fiber optic laser catheter assembly for use in removing, or largely debulking, obstructions or occlusions from a lumen in a living body. The catheter assembly includes an outer tubular sheath, an optical fiber extending through the sheath, and a fiber guide for holding the fiber within the sheath. In all of the disclosed embodiments, the obstructions are removed by controllably positioning an optical fiber's distal tip in a succession of selected radial and circumferential positions so as to sculpt away the obstruction without substantial risk of mechanically or thermally damaging the vessel. Several of the embodiments are configured such that the portion of the occlusion that can be reliably sculpted away has a radius greater even than the radius of the catheter assembly itself.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. of 09/784,294 filed Feb. 14, 2001, now abandoned which is a continuation of prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. of 09/168,328 filed Sep. 30, 1998, now abandoned which is a continuation of Ser. No. 07/966,582 filed Oct. 26, 1992, now abandoned which is a continuation of prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/563,535 filed Aug. 6, 1990 now abandoned.
