An optical fiber treatment system is provided for high power laser
transmission to an area of medical treatment. A side fire optical fiber
tip for use in high power laser applications having outputs of greater
than or equal to 50 Watts is a key to the system. Embodiments are
particularly appropriate for the medical treatment of benign prostate
hyperplasia (BPH) with a side fire optical fiber tip using a Holmium:YAG
laser or a high power diode laser. Such procedures can be done with only
local anesthesia A predetermined length of an output tip on the distal
end of the optical fiber of the present invention is formed with an
optical fiber core and cladding layer of preselected thickness wherein
the cladding to core diameter ratio is at least as great as 1.2. A side
fire surface is formed on the distal end of the core/clad output end.
Over this optical fiber output end, a pure silica capillary tube is fused
to the predetermined length of exposed cladding where the outermost
cladding is also pure silica to reduce thermal mismatch during the fusion
process. By having the refractive index at the fusing interface of the
tube to the cladding matched, and bubbles or gaps eliminated or
prevented, it is possible to substantially eliminate Fresnel reflection
losses at this interface. Further, the outer surface area where the laser
energy is exiting from the tube may be heat treated with a laser to
increase durability for high power laser energy transmission in fluid
environments. Germanium-doped silica as well as pure silica can be used
as fiber core material.