MEDICAL LASER FIBER OPTIC CABLE HAVING IMPROVED TREATMENT INDICATORS FOR BPH SURGERY

The present invention relates, in general, to medical laser fibers and, more particularly, to a medical laser fiber optic cable having improved treatment indicators for BPH surgery. Disclosed is a medical instrument for the treatment of tissue comprising a source of light energy; a connector removably attachable to the source of light energy; an optical fiber having a proximal end, connected to the connector, and a distal end positionable at a site of the treatment. The optical fiber comprises: a treatment region, a first depth indicating region, and a second depth indicating region The treatment region includes an active portion and spacer portion. The first depth indicating region originates with a first primary mark at its distal end, terminates with a third primary mark at its proximal end, and includes a second primary mark approximately 5 mm from the first primary mark. A method of gauging the depth of a surgical instrument using one aspect of the present invention comprises the steps of: A) providing a surgical instrument; B) inserting the surgical instrument into tissue; C) viewing at least two non-alphanumeric exposed markings on the surgical instrument, wherein the at least two exposed markings are markedly different markings viewed from a plurality of markings on the surgical instrument, wherein the plurality of markings are arranged such that any two markings will uniquely identify a location on the surgical instrument within a depth indicating region of the surgical instrument; and D) operating the surgical instrument.