Method of treatment of artherosclerosis and balloon catheter the same

Abstract

A method for the treatment of atherosclerosis in a mammal by destruction of atheromatous plaque is disclosed. The disclosed method includes injecting a hematoporphyrin into the mammal for selective uptake into the atheromatous plaque, and delivering light to the diseased vessel so that the light activates the hematoporphin for lysis of the plaque. The preferred method utilizes a balloon catheter equipped with flexible optical fibers for transmission of light from an external source for illumination of the interior of the inflated balloon. By inflation of the balloon, the opaque blood between the balloon and the atheromatous plaque is displaced to facilitate activation of the hematoporphyrin. The balloon may be illuminated and inflated and deflated in a cycle responsive to the patient's pulse so as to minimize interference with blood flow.

Description

This application is a continuation of Ser. No. 600,121 filed on Sep. 18, 1990 now abandoned which is a reissue of Ser. No. 144,698 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,699, which is a continuation of copending application Ser. No. 881,588 filed on 7/2/86 now abandoned which is a continuation of copending application Ser. No. 838,393 filed on 3/5/86 now abandoned which is a continuation of copending application Ser. No. 721,995 filed on 4/11/85 now abandoned which is a divisional of Ser. No. 443,958 filed on 11/23/82 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,762.

Atherosclerosis is a coronary disease wherein fatty substances (lipids), hereinafter referred to as atheromatous plaques, form deposits in and beneath the intima which is the innermost membrane lining arteries and veins. Atherosclerosis tends to involve large and medium-sized arteries. Most commonly affected are the aorta and the iliac, femoral, coronary, and cerebral arteries. Clinical symptoms occur because the mass of the artherosclerotic plaque reduces blood flow through the involved artery and thereby compromises tissue or organ function distal to it.

Modern treatment of atherosclerosis revolves around highly sophisticated coronary care units. In general, modern medicine follows one of two approaches to the care of patients suffering from atherosclerotic complications: either (1) the diseased vascular segments are replaced with prosthetic or natural grafts, even going as far as heart transplantation or (2) drugs such as antiarrhythmic agents, anticoagulants and plasma lipid lowering agents are administered to enable the patient to live with the condition. Neither approach contemplates a cure of the diseased members.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides for treatment of a main artery or other blood vessel afflicted with atherosclerosis. The method involves administration of a hematoporphyrin, preferably by intravenous injection, to the mammal to be treated. The invention resides, in part, in the discovery that the hematoporphyrin so administered is selectively absorbed into the atheromatous plaque, with little or no absorption into healthy areas of the arterial wall. Upon illumination of the atheromatous plaque, containing absorbed hematoporphyrin, the hematoporphyrin is activated and destroys the host atheromatous plaque tissue. Illumination of the plaque may be achieved with either one of two different techniques. With one technique, the patient is catheterized with a light-emitting catheter inserted into the diseased artery or other vessel so that the light-emitting portion of the catheter is adjacent the atheromatous plaque. Alternatively, a form of liquid light is injected into the vascular tree such that the liquid light, which mixes freely with blood or a blood replacement, perfuses the diseased artery.

In the preferred embodiment a special light-emitting balloon catheter is employed. The balloon catheter includes an inflatable balloon secured to one end of the catheter tube, for inflation of a gas from a remote source, and optical fibers which extend through the tube lumen for transmission of light from an external light source to the interior of the balloon. Preferably, the light-transmitting optical fibers are optically joined to a light scattering device within the balloon in the form of a hollow, liquid-filled fiber or tube. The liquid filling is selected for optimum transmission of light and maximum light scattering.

Use of the preferred balloon catheter provides for displacement of the light-opaque blood between the external balloon surface and the atherosclerosis plaque by inflation of the balloon. Use of the preferred catheter also allows for intermittent and cyclical illumination and inflation/deflation of the balloon so as to minimize interruption of blood flow to the vital organs and to avoid potential problems attendant to heating of the balloon material and the blood of the mammal undergoing treatment.

Activation of hematoporphyrin within atheromatous plaques may also be achieved by injecting a form of liquid light into the vascular tree. Examples of light-emitting liquids are the bioluminescent system of firefly lucerin/lucerase and the chemiluminescent system of the Cyalume Lightstick manufactured by the American Cyanamid Company. Although the organic liquid-based Cyalume Lightstick is incompatible with blood, an aqueous liquid-based chemiluminescent system has recently been developed. See "Aqueous Peroxyoxalate Chemiluminescence, Final Report to the Office of Naval Research, Contact N00014-77-C-0634" by A. G. Mohan et al. at the American Cyanamid Company, Bound Brook, N.J., January, 1982. Although the light intensity of any liquid light is less than that which is achievable with the fiberoptic delivery of a laser, activation of hematoporphyrin is a function of the product of light intensity times the duration of illumination, so that a relatively low level of light intensity for a long duration is sufficient to activate hematoporphyrin. A potential advantage of the use of liquid light is that all diseased vessels can be perfused with the liquid light, once intravascular injection of the liquid light and mixing with blood have been completed. Knowledge of the exact location of atheromatous plaques would be unnecessary, since all plaques would be exposed to the light. Should blood prove to be too light-opaque to allow a sufficient quantity of light to reach a plaque, blood replacement with more translucent liquids, such as perfluorocarbon emulsion-containing blood substitutes, may be performed prior to injecting the liquid light. For an example, in animals, of total blood exchange with perfluorocarbon chemicals, see Gollan et al, Am J. Physiol 229:1045 (1975). Fluosol-DA, a commercially available perfluorocarbon-containing blood substitute from Alpha Therapeutics, a subsidiary of the Green Cross Corporation, is currently undergoing clinical trials and has been used for massive transfusions in patients with a remarkable lack of side effects.

Since both the firefly luciferin/lucerifase system and the aqueous peroxyoxylate system can be too toxic in the doses that are required to activate hematoporphyrin within atheromatous plaques, the toxicity of these systems can be reduced markedly by modifications such as microencapsulation of some or all of the reactants in these liquids.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for treatment of atherosclerosis by destruction of the atheromatous plaque.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a catheter for transmission of activating light directly into atheromatous plaque by displacement of light-opaque blood between the light-emitting portion of the catheter and the atheromatous plaque.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to illuminate artheromatous plaques, containing absorbed hematoporphyrin, with minimum interruption of the flow of blood to the vital organs.

Yet another objective is to illuminate atheromatous plaques with minimal elevation of the temperature of the mammal's blood.

Yet another objective is to illuminate atheromatous plaque by perfusing the diseased vessel with liquid light.

Other objects and further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description to follow, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of use of the preferred catheter, inserted into a main artery of a patient, for treatment of atherosclerosis in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of the use of a second type of illuminating catheter in the treatment of atherosclerosis in accordance with the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The term "hematoporphyrin", as used herein, is intended to encompass hematoporphyrin and its derivatives which are preferentially taken up into atheromatous plaque and which respond to a source of light to destroy the host cell tissue.

The preferred hematoporphyrin is the acetic acid-sulfuric acid derivative of hematoporphyrin prepared, for example, as described by Richard L. Lipson and Edward J. Baldes in "The Photodynamic Properties of a Particular Hematoporphyrin Derivative", Arch. Derm. 82(4) 508-516, 1960 and by Richard L. Lipson et al in "The Use of a Derivative of Hematoporphyrin in Tumor Detection", J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 26(1):1-8, 1961. In general the method of Lipson et al involves admixing a "crude" recrystallized hematoporphyrin with a mixture of 19 parts glacial acetic acid and one part concentrated sulfuric acid, followed by filtration to separate and remove the undissolved residue. The solution is then neutralized, e.g. with of 3% sodium acetate solution, to precipitate out the hematoporphyrin derivative (HPD). This hematoporphyrin derivative is recognized by the trade designation HPD and is commercially available from Oncology Research and Development, Inc. In practicing the present invention, the HPD is used in the commercial form and is not diluted in any way.

Sanderson et al, in "Hematoporphyrin as a Diagnostic Tool" Cancer 30(5) 1368-72 (1972) report that this hematoporphyrin derivative (HPD) shows maximum fluorescence upon illumination with violet light within a wave length range of about 400 to 410 nm. HPD exhibits wide band absorbtion at about 500 nm with small peaks at about 635 nm. For the purposes of the present invention, the preferred activating illumination for the hematoporphyrin derivative (HPD) is a monochromic red light at about 635 nanometers because light at this wavelength penetrates tissue; and, the preferred source for such illumination is a dye laser.

It has been well known for many years that HPD accumulates in malignant tumors after intravenous injection and that HPD fluorescence, upon exposure to ultraviolet light, facilitating tumor localization. The aforementioned articles by Lipson et al report on such findings. More recently, the cytotoxic effect of HPD activated by light has been used to destroy malignant tumors in man as well as in animals. Since normal tissues surrounding malignant tumors absorb relatively small amounts of HPD, little or no damage to these tissues occurs upon exposure to light. See, e.g. "Photoradiation in the Treatment of Recurrent Breast Carcinoma", T. J. Dougherty et al, J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 62(2):231-237 (1979).

In accordance with the present invention, it recently has been discovered that HPD is selectively concentrated in atheromatous plaques in the aorta of rabbits following intravenous injection. Atheromatous plaques were found to fluoresce strongly when exposed to ultraviolet light, while the normal plaque-free aortic wall demonstrated no fluorescence. Since atheromatous plaques consist primarily of cells which are engorged with lipids and other materials, destruction of these cells by photoactivation of HPD results in lysis of such plaques. It is believed that, upon exposure to activating illumination, the hematoporphyrin produces singlet oxygen which causes cell destruction. Thus, the present invention involves photodynamic destruction of the atheromatous plaques by activation of plaque-absorbed hematoporphyrin by a process which may be characterized as photoatherolysis.

The preferred catheter of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 1. In the representation of FIG. 1 the wall of the main artery undergoing treatment is represented by the numeral 10. For treatment, the mammal is catheterized with insertion of the light-emitting portion of the catheter into the diseased blood vessel to a position adjacent the deposit of atheromatous plaque to be lysed. FIG. 1 depicts the preferred catheter positioned in this manner. The preferred catheter includes a lumen tube 12 and a balloon member 14 affixed to its distal end with the interior of the balloon opening into the lumen of the catheter tube. FIG. 1 depicts the balloon 14 in its inflated state with its exterior surface in direct contact with the atheromatous plaque 16 to be lysed. The deflated state of the balloon is indicated by the dotted line 18. Inflation of the balloon is provided for by the lumen of the catheter which is in fluid communication with the interior of the balloon and which may be connected, at its opposite end, to a source of pressurized gas. At least one optical fiber 20 is provided for transmitting light from an external source to liquid 22 contained in a hollow glass fiber 24. The liquid 22, for example one of many refractive index liquids commercially available from Cargille Laboratories, functions to transmit the scatter light throughout the interior of balloon 14. A movable guidewire 28 extends through the center of the lumen of the catheter tube and through the center of the hollow glass fiber. The distal end of the guidewire 28 extends a variable distance beyond the distal end of the balloon 14.

FIG. 2 depicts the use of a catheter which is not provided with a balloon but which is otherwise similar. In FIG. 2, corresponding components of the catheter are represented by like numerals. A catheter of this design may be particularly advantageous for use in small vessels, such as coronary arteries, wherein displacement of the relatively small volume of blood with a balloon may be unnecessary for light to be transmitted to a plaque.

A particularly advantageous feature of the preferred catheter illustrated in FIG. 1 is the capability for delivering light to the plaque in an intermittent fashion. Intermittent light transmission, synchronized with intermittent balloon inflation, is advantageous when a prolonged exposure of a plaque to light within and to a vital organ is required. For example, inflation of the balloon with a low viscosity gas during the only one part of each cardiac cycle, may be performed utilizing counter-pulsation circulatory assist devices, and can be synchronized with light transmission, so that a long total, additive exposure of a plaque to light may be achieved without significant compromise of blood flow. Although light may be transmitted continuously along the optical fiber and exposure of the plaque to light would then occur only when inflation of the balloon is sufficiently great to displace intervening blood, intermittent transmission of the light along the fiber would be advantageous when the light intensity required would result in heating the balloon material and/or blood. For example, a thick plaque may require an intense light in order to activate HPD deep within the plaque. The heat produced by the light could adversely affect the balloon material and/or blood within the artery. Intermittent transmission of light would allow both the balloon material and the gas within the balloon to be cooled intermittently by the flow of blood past the balloon during balloon deflation. A period of 30 minutes or more may be required to photoactivate HPD deep within a plaque. However, obstruction of blood flow with the balloon inflated continuously for such a length of time cannot be performed within arteries to vital organs without deliterious effects. In such a case ECG-gated, intermittent balloon inflation, as is commonly performed with an intra-aortic balloon used in a counterpulsation circulatory assist device, may be employed so as not to interfere with blood flow to vital organs, while at the same time permitting a prolonged exposure of a plaque to light.

Others skilled in the art of fabrication of optical fibers and catheters may proffer many modifications of the basic design of the preferred catheter. For example, the optical fiber 20 may terminate without coupling to any other fiber; a properly designed lens at the terminal end of the optical fiber 20 might be used to disperse light over the internal surface of the artery. Alternatively, the optical fiber 20 may be coupled, at its distal end, to a specially designed solid fiber which would be used to disperse light along all or a portion of its length.

In accordance with the present invention, it has been discovered that aqueous peroxyoxylate chemiluminescent liquids manufactured by the American Cyanamid Company may be injected into the bloodstream of rats and rabbits without producing any side effects. The liquid reactants typically include a triflyl oxamide and hydrogen peroxide along with sulfonated rubrene as a fluorescer and Deceresol NI as a surfactant. A quantum yield of the reaction of 7% with a light capacity of 62 lumen hours per liter of solution was reported recently by A. G. Mohan et al in "Aqueous Peroxyoxalate Chemiluminescence: Final Report to the Office of Naval Research, Contract N0014-77-C-0634." This quantity of light is considerably more than that needed to activate hematoporphyrin. Thus, the injection of the chemiluminescent liquid light into the vascular tree of mammals can be performed for activation of hematoporphyrin within atheromatous plaques for lysis all of plaques throughout the vascular tree.

Another form of liquid light which can be injected into the bloodstream of mammals is the well-known firefly lucerin/lucerifase bioluminescent system. Luciferin and luciferase are water soluble, and light is emitted when adenosine triphosphate, which is also water soluble, is added to these substances. A buffer such as glycine and the metal ion, magnesium, are usually present in the solution to facilitate the reaction. Intravenous injection of these materials, obtained commercially from Sigma Chemical Company, into dogs has produced no deliterious side effects.

If the light-opacity of blood prevents a sufficient quantity of light, in the form of liquid light, to activate hematoporphyrin within an atheromatous plaque, replacement of blood with a more translucent blood substitute may be performed. Examples would include normal saline, dextrose in water, and Frales-Linger solution. For replacement of blood within the entire vascular tree or within blood vessels to vital organs, perfluorocarbon emulsion-containing blood substitutes, such as Fluosol-DA, may be used. Fluosol-DA carries oxygen in a manner similar to hemoglobin and has been approved by the FDA for use in clinical trials. For examples of the use of Fluosol-DA as a blood substitutes, see Engelman et al, Ann Thorac Surg 32: 528-535 (1981), Kanter et al, Circulation 64:75-83 (1981).

An advantage in the use of liquid light of activate hematophorphyrin within atheromatous plaques is that, once the liquid light has mixed in sufficient quantity with blood or a blood substitute throughout the vascular tree, it would be unnecessary to know the location of the plaques in order to lyse all plaques within the entire vascular tree. An other advantage is that a catheterization procedure would be unnecessary to deliver the light to a plaque in a vessel segment of interest.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrated and not restricted, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

Claims

1. A balloon catheter for use in applying energy to a wall of an artery for medical treatment, said catheter comprising:

a tube defining a lumen;

an inflatable balloon secured to the distal end of said tube for inflation from a remote source of fluid, said balloon being configured so that said tube may be navigated through the artery when deflated and allow blood flow while said tube is being navigated with the balloon in a deflated state and also configured to displace blood within the artery when inflated;

fiber optic means connectable to an energy source at the proximal end and extending through said lumen to emit energy into the balloon for transmission of energy from an external energy source to the interior of said balloon; and

means for diffusing energy that is transmitted by said fiber optic means, said means for diffusing energy being in optical communication with said fiber optic means and being within said balloon so that the energy transmitted into said balloon via the fiber optic means may be applied through said balloon to all part of the walls of the artery surrounding said balloon simultaneously.

2. The balloon catheter of claim 1 wherein the means for diffusing energy is an elongated hollow member within and coextensive with the length of said balloon and forming a junction with said fiber optic means, said elongated hollow member being filled with a fluid for scattering light throughout the interior of said balloon and to the walls of the artery.

3. The balloon catheter of claim 2 further comprising a guide wire extending through the center of said lumen and through the center of said elongated hollow member and extending a variable distance beyond the distal end of said balloon for facilitating insertion and positioning of the catheter within an artery.

4. The balloon catheter of claim 2 wherein said fluid is a refractive index liquid.

4. The balloon catheter of claim 20 wherein said means for diffusing energy is a lens positioned at the terminal end of said fiber optic means. 25. The balloon catheter of claim 20 wherein said means for diffusing energy is a solid fiber coupled at the terminal end of said fiber optic means capable of dispersing light along all or a

portion of its length. 26. A method for applying energy to a vessel to be treated said method comprising:

A) Providing a catheter comprising:

a tube defining a lumen,

an inflatable balloon secured to the distal end of the tube for inflation from a remote source of fluid, the balloon being configured so that the tube may be navigated through the body when the balloon is deflated and allow flow of body fluid while the tube is being navigated with the balloon in a deflated state and also configured to displace the body fluid when inflated,

fiber optic means connectable to an energy source at the proximal end and extending through said lumen to emit energy into the balloon for transmission of energy from an external energy source, and

means for diffusing energy that is transmitted by said fiber optic means, said means for diffusing energy being in optical communication with the fiber optic means and being within said balloon so that energy transmitted into the balloon via the fiber optic means may be applied through the balloon to all of the vessel surrounding the balloon simultaneously;

B) displacing body fluid between the energy emitting catheter and the vessel to be treated by inflating the balloon;

C) energizing the entire balloon surface of the energy emitting catheter by diffusing energy through the means for diffusing energy to enable the entire balloon surface to transmit energy to all of the vessel surrounding the catheter simultaneously; and

D) deflating the balloon of the light emitting catheter and removing the

light emitting catheter after treatment. 27. The method of claim 26 wherein the step of displacing body fluid by inflating the balloon of the energy emitting catheter illuminates the vessel with an intensity greater than would be the case when a body fluid is present in the area. 28. The method of claim 27 wherein the balloon inflation is intermittent. 29. The method of claim 28 wherein the balloon is intermittently inflated responsive to ECG-gating so as to allow prolonged exposure of the site to the transmitted energy and to enable the treatment of the vessel without compromising the patient

from disruption of flow of body fluid. 30. The method of claim 28 wherein the balloon energizing occurs only when the balloon is inflated. 31. The method of claim 26 wherein energy is transmitted from an external light source to energize the interior of the balloon of the energy emitting catheter and all of the vessel surrounding the catheter simultaneously. 32. The method of claim 26 wherein the insertion of the catheter into the body is facilitated by a guide wire extending through the center of the lumen and of the balloon of the energy emitting catheter and extending a variable distance beyond the distal end of the balloon of the catheter. 33. The method of claim 26 wherein the energy is maximized by transmitting energy through diffusing means comprising an elongated hollow member within and coextensive with the length of the balloon and forming an optical junction with the fiber optic means with a liquid filling the elongated hollow member for scattering energy through the interior of the balloon. 34. The method of claim 26 wherein the energy is maximized by transmitting energy through diffusing means comprising a lens positioned at the terminal end of the fiber optic means in the energy

emitting catheter. 35. The method of claim 26 wherein the energy is maximized by transmitting energy through diffusing means comprising a solid fiber coupled at the end of the fiber optic means capable of dispersing energy along all or a portion of its length. 36. The method of claim 26 wherein the external energy source which is connected to the fiber optic means is a source of ultraviolet light. 37. The balloon catheter of claim 20 further comprising means to intermittently inflate said inflatable balloon responsive to ECG-gating so as to allow prolonged exposure of the site to the transmitted energy and to enable treatment of the vessel without compromising the patient from disruption of flow of body fluids.

38. A balloon catheter for displacing body fluid to enable a vessel to be illuminated for medical treatment while reducing the amount of light lost through the body fluid which would otherwise occur comprising:

a tube defining a lumen, said tube being configured to navigate in the body;

an inflatable balloon secured to one end of said tube for inflation from a remote source of gas, said balloon being configured so as not to interfere with the navigation of said tube through the body when deflated and allow flow of body fluid while said tube is being navigated with the balloon in a deflated state and also configured to displace body fluid at the vessel to be treated when inflated;

fiber optic means connectable to a light source at the proximal end and extending through said lumen and into the balloon for transmission of light from an external light source to the interior of said balloon and to the vessel for illuminating the vessel, when body fluid is displaced, with an intensity greater than would be the case when body fluid is present in the area;

an elongated hollow member within and coextensive with the length of said balloon and forming an optical junction with said fiber optic means;

a liquid filling said elongated hollow member for scattering light throughout the interior of said balloon and to the surrounding vessel; and

a guide wire to which the distal end of said balloon is affixed;

said balloon and fiber optic means enabling the vessel to be illuminated by displacing body fluid so that the light from the fiber optic means reaches the vessel for treatment, and said inflatable balloon and said fiber optic means enabling the transmission of light to be synchronized for intermittent displacement of body fluid from a selected site in the body at the same time as light is transmitted so as to allow prolonged exposure of the site to the transmitted light and to enable the treatment of the vessel without compromising the patient from disruption of body fluid.

39. A balloon catheter for medical treatment, said catheter comprising:

a tube defining a lumen;

an inflatable balloon secured to the distal end of said tube for inflation from a remote source of fluid, said balloon being configured to deflate to allow placement of the catheter and to inflate for treatment;

fiber optic means connectable to an energy source at the proximal end and extending through said lumen to emit energy into the balloon for transmission of energy from a external energy source to the interior of said balloon; and

means for diffusing energy that is transmitted by said fiber optic means, said means for diffusing energy being in optical communication with said fiber optic means and being within said balloon so that energy transmitted into said balloon via the fiber optic means may be applied through all parts of said balloon simultaneously. 40. The balloon catheter of claim 39 wherein the means for diffusing energy is an elongated hollow member within and coextensive with the length of said balloon and forming a junction with said fiber optic means, said elongated hollow member being filled with a fluid for scattering light throughout the interior of said balloon. 41. The balloon catheter of claim 40 further comprising a guide wire extending through the center of said lumen and through the center of said elongated hollow member and extending a variable distance beyond the distal end of said balloon for facilitating insertion and positioning of the catheter. 42. The balloon catheter of claim 40 wherein said fluid is a refractive index liquid. 43. The balloon catheter of claim 39 wherein said means for diffusing energy is a lens positioned at the terminal end of said fiber optic means. 44. The balloon catheter of claim 39 wherein said means for diffusing energy is a solid fiber coupled at the terminal end of said fiber optic means capable of dispersing light along all or a portion of its length. 45. The balloon catheter of claim 39 further comprising means to intermittently inflate said inflatable balloon responsive to ECG-gating so as to allow prolonged treatment with the transmitted energy. 46. A method for applying energy for medical treatment comprising:

A) providing a catheter comprising:

a tube defining a lumen,

an inflatable balloon secured to the distal end of the tube for inflation from a remote source of fluid, the balloon being configured to deflate to allow placement of the catheter and to inflate for treatment,

fiber optic means connectable to an energy source at the proximal end and extending through said lumen to emit energy into the balloon for transmission of energy from an external energy source, and

means for diffusing energy that is transmitted by said fiber optic means, said means for diffusing energy being in optical communication with the fiber optic means and being within said balloon so that energy transmitted into the balloon via the fiber optic means may be applied through all parts of the balloon simultaneously;

B) inflating the balloon;

C) energizing the entire balloon surface of the energy emitting catheter by diffusing energy through the means for diffusing energy to enable the entire balloon surface to transmit energy simultaneously; and

D) deflating the balloon of the light emitting catheter and removing the

light emitting catheter after treatment. 47. The method of claim 46 wherein the balloon inflation is intermittent. 48. The method of claim 47 wherein the balloon is intermittently inflated responsive to ECG-gating so as to allow prolonged treatment with the transmitted energy. 49. The method of claim 47 wherein the balloon energizing occurs only when the balloon is inflated. 50. The method of claim 46 wherein the positioning of the catheter is facilitated by a guide wire extending through the center of the lumen and of the balloon of the energy emitting catheter and extending a variable distance beyond the distal end of the balloon of the catheter. 51. The method of claim 46 wherein the energy is maximized by transmitting energy through diffusing means comprising an elongated hollow member within and coextensive with the length of the balloon and forming an optical junction with the fiber optic means with a liquid filling the elongated hollow member for scattering energy through the interior of the balloon. 52. The method of claim 46 wherein the energy is maximized by transmitting energy through diffusing means comprising a lens positioned at the terminal end of the fiber optic means in the energy emitting catheter. 53. The method of claim 46 wherein the energy is maximized by transmitting energy through diffusing means comprising a solid fiber coupled at the end of the fiber optic means capable of dispersing energy along all or a portion of its length. 54. The method of claim 46 wherein the external energy source which is connected to the fiber optic means is a source of ultraviolet light. 55. A balloon catheter for medical treatment comprising:

a tube defining a lumen;

an inflatable balloon secured to one end of said tube for inflation from a remote source of gas, said balloon being configured to deflate to allow placement of the catheter and to inflate for treatment;

fiber optic means connectable to a light source at the proximal end and extending through said lumen and into the balloon for transmission of light from an external light source to the interior of said balloon;

an elongated hollow member within and coextensive with the length of said balloon and forming an optical junction with said fiber optic means;

a liquid filling said elongated hollow member for scattering light throughout the interior of said balloon; and

a guide wire to which the distal end of said balloon is affixed;

said inflatable balloon and said fiber optic means enabling the transmission of light to be synchronized with the inflation of the balloon to allow prolonged treatment without compromising the patient.

5. The balloon catheter of claim 1 wherein said means for diffusing energy is a lens positioned at the terminal end of said fiber optic means.

6. The balloon catheter of claim 1 wherein said means for diffusing energy is a solid fiber coupled at the terminal end of said fiber optic means capable of dispersing light along all or a portion of its length.

7. A method for applying energy to the walls of an artery to be treated so that the energy emitting portion of the catheter is adjacent the part of the artery to be treated, the catheter comprising:

a tube defining a lumen,

an inflatable balloon secured to the distal end of the tube for inflation from a remote source of fluid, the balloon being configured so that the tube may be navigated through the artery when the balloon is deflated and allow blood flow while the tube is being navigated with the balloon in a deflated state and also configured to displace blood within the artery when inflated,

fiber optic means connectable to an energy source at the proximal end and extending through said lumen to emit energy into the balloon for transmission of energy from an external energy source, and

means for diffusing energy that is transmitted by said fiber optic means, said means for diffusing energy being in optical communication with the fiber optic means and being within said balloon so that energy transmitted into the balloon via the fiber optic means may be applied through the balloon to all parts of the walls of the artery surrounding the balloon simultaneously;

(B) displacing blood in the artery between the energy emitting catheter and the portion of the artery to be treated by inflating the balloon;

(C) energizing the entire balloon surface of the energy emitting catheter by diffusing energy through the means for diffusing energy to enable the entire balloon surface to transmit energy to all parts of the walls of the surrounding artery simultaneously; and

(D) deflating the balloon of the light emitting catheter and removing the light emitting catheter after treatment.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of displacing blood by inflating the balloon of the energy emitting catheter illuminates the walls of the artery with an intensity greater than would be the case when blood is present in the artery.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the balloon inflation is intermittent.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the balloon is intermittently inflated responsive to ECG-gating so as to allow prolonged exposure of the site to the transmitted energy and to enable the treatment of the walls of the artery without compromising the patient from disruption of blood flow.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the balloon energizing occurs only when the balloon is inflated.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein energy is transmitted from an external light source to energize the interior of the balloon of the energy emitting catheter and all parts of the walls of the surrounding artery simultaneously.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein the insertion of the catheter in an artery is facilitated by a guide wire extending through the center of the lumen and of the elongated hollow member of the energy emitting catheter and extending a variable distance beyond the distal end of the balloon of the catheter.

14. The method of claim 7 wherein the energy is maximized by transmitting energy through diffusing means comprising an elongated hollow member within and coextensive with the length of the balloon and forming an optical junction with the fiber optic means with a liquid filling the elongated hollow member for scattering energy through the interior of the balloon.

15. The method of claim 7 wherein the energy is maximized by transmitting energy through diffusing means comprising a lens positioned at the terminal end of the fiber optic means in the energy emitting catheter.

16. The method of claim 7 wherein the energy is maximized by transmitting energy through diffusing means comprising a solid fiber coupled at the end of the fiber optic means capable of dispersing energy along all or a portion of its length.

17. The method of claim 7 wherein the external energy source which is connected to the fiber optic means is a source of ultraviolet light.

18. The balloon catheter of claim 1 further comprising means to intermittently inflate said inflatable balloon responsive to ECG-gating so as to allow prolonged exposure of the site to the transmitted energy and to enable treatment of the walls of the artery without compromising the patient from disruption of blood flow.

19. A balloon catheter for displacing blood within an artery to enable the wall of the artery to be illuminated for medical treatment while reducing the amount of light lost through the blood which would otherwise occur comprising:

a tube defining a lumen, said tube being configured to navigate an artery;

an inflatable balloon secured to one end of said tube for inflation from a remote source of gas, said balloon being configured so as not to interfere with the navigation of said tube through the artery when deflated and allow blood flow while said tube is being navigated with the balloon in a deflated state and also configured to displace blood within the artery when inflated;

fiber optic means connectable to a light source at the proximal end and extending through said lumen and into the balloon for transmission of light from an external light source to the interior of said balloon and to the walls of the artery for illuminating the walls of the artery, when blood is displaced, with an intensity greater than would be the case when blood is present in the artery;

an elongated hollow member within and coextensive with the length of said balloon and forming an optical junction with said fiber optic means;

a liquid filling said elongated hollow member for scattering light throughout the interior of said balloon and to the walls of the arteries; and

a guidewire to which the distal end of said balloon is affixed;

said balloon and fiber optic means enabling the walls to be illuminated by displacing blood so that the light from the fiber optic means reaches the walls of the artery for treatment of atheromatous plaque, and said inflatable balloon and said fiber optic means enabling the transmission of light to be synchronized for intermittent displacement of blood from a selected sight in the artery at the same time as light is transmitted so as to allow prolonged exposure of the sight to the transmitted light and to enable the treatment of the walls of the arteries without compromising the patient from disruption of blood flow.

20. A balloon catheter for use in applying energy to a wall of a vessel for medical treatment, said catheter comprising:

a tube defining a lumen;

an inflatable balloon secured to the distal end of said tube for inflation from a remote source of fluid, said balloon being configured so that said tube may be navigated to the vessel when deflated and allow flow of body fluids while said tube is being navigated with the balloon in a deflated state and also configured to displace the body fluid at the vessel when inflated;

fiber optic means connectable to an energy source at the proximal end and extending through said lumen to emit energy into the balloon for transmission of energy from an external energy source to the interior of said balloon; and

means for diffusing energy that is transmitted by said fiber optic means, said means for diffusing energy being in optical communication with said fiber optic means and being within said balloon so that energy transmitted into said balloon via the fiber optic means may be applied through said balloon to all of the vessel surrounding said balloon simultaneously.

21. The balloon catheter of claim 20 wherein the means for diffusing energy is an elongated hollow member within and coextensive with the length of said balloon and forming a junction with said fiber optic means, said elongated hollow member being filled with a fluid for scattering light throughout the interior of said balloon and to the vessel. 22. The balloon catheter of claim 21 further comprising a guide wire extending through the center of said lumen and through the center of said elongated hollow member an extending a variable distance beyond the distal end of said balloon for facilitating insertion and positioning of the catheter within the vessel. 23. The balloon catheter of claim 21 wherein said fluid is a refractive index liquid. PAR