Shock wave guide wire
AssigneeShockwave Medical, Inc.
InventorJohn M. Adams
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A guide wire, for use, for example, in guiding an elongated catheter through an artery or vein of a mammalian body having a stenosis and/or an occlusion therein, includes an elongated conductor having a longitudinal dimension, a proximal end and a distal end. The guide wire further includes an insulator overlying the elongated conductor. The insulator exposes a portion of the longitudinal dimension of the elongated conductor to form an electrode. The elongated conductor is arranged to be connected to a source of high voltage pulses to cause electrical arcs at the electrode that in turn form steam bubbles and shock waves to break the stenosis and/or open the occlusion and permit the guide wire to pass there through. Other embodiments are directed to a system including the guide wire and a method of using the guide wire.
Claims17
A guide wire system, for use in guiding an elongated catheter through an artery or vein of a mammalian body having a stenosis and/or an occlusion therein, the guide wire system comprising:
- a guide wire including an elongated conductor having a longitudinal dimension, a proximal end and a distal end and
- an insulator overlying the elongated conductor, the insulator exposing a portion of the longitudinal dimension of the elongated conductor to form a monopolar electrode;
- and
- a source of high voltage pulses connected to the conductor, each pulse being greater than 300 volts and between 0.1 to 2.0 microseconds in duration and delivered at a repetition rate between about 1 Hz and about 5 Hz, each pulse creating an electrical arc at the electrode that in turn forms a steam bubble and a shock wave to break the stenosis and/or open the occlusion.
A guide wire system, for use in guiding an elongated catheter through an artery or vein of a mammalian body having a stenosis and/or an occlusion therein, the guide wire system comprising:
- a guide wire including an elongated member having a longitudinal dimension, a proximal end and a distal end, the guide wire carrying a distal monopolar electrode at its distal end;
- a surface electrode adapted to make broad surface contact with the skin of the mammalian body;
- and
- a source of high voltage pulses coupled to the distal electrode and to the surface electrode, each pulse being greater than 300 volts and between 0.1 to 2.0 microseconds in duration and delivered at a repetition rate between about 1 Hz and about 5 Hz, each pulse creating an electrical arc at the distal electrode that in turn forms a steam bubble and a shock wave to break the stenosis and/or open the occlusion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.