Catheter systems and methods for performing a destruction of a body obstruction

A catheter system for performing destruction of a body obstruction in a body vessel of a live being, the catheter system comprising a catheter shaft comprising a proximal end and a distal end, defining a longitudinal axis, including an outer tubular member having an outer wall and at least one inner tubular member disposed within the outer tubular member having an inner wall;

• a first fluid lumen defined between the inner tubular member and the outer tubular member, said inner tubular member and said outer tubular member being sealingly secured together at said distal end to form a common distal end, and at least one second lumen defined by the at least one inner tubular member, said inner tubular member being open at said distal end;
• one or more fluid exit openings located at a distal end region of the catheter extending through said outer wall of the outer tubular member from an inner surface of the outer tubular member to an outer surface of the outer tubular member and upstream from said distal end, and configured to permit fluid to exit outside from the catheter from the first fluid lumen;
• fluid pressure means located external of the catheter upstream from the proximal end for delivering said fluid in the first fluid lumen at a pressure range predetermined to cause destruction of said obstruction, wherein the fluid exit opening(s) have a diameter ranging between about 50 microns (0.050 millimeters) and about 110 microns (0.110 millimeters) and said fluid pressure at the entrance of said catheter or at the vicinity of at least one fluid exit opening ranges between about 20×101325 Pa or 20 ATM and about 50×101325 Pa or 50 ATM.

A method of performing destruction of a body obstruction in a body vessel of a live being, the method comprising:

• advancing a catheter to a desired location comprising said obstruction within the body vessel, the catheter including a catheter shaft, defining a longitudinal axis, including an outer tubular member having an outer wall and at least one inner tubular member disposed within the outer tubular member having an inner wall;
• a first fluid lumen defined between the inner tubular member and the outer tubular member, said inner tubular member and said outer tubular member being sealed together at said distal end to form a common distal end, and at least one second lumen defined by the at least one inner tubular member, said inner tubular member being open at said distal end;
• one or more fluid exit openings located at a distal end region of the catheter extending through said outer wall of the outer tubular member from an inner surface of the outer tubular member to an outer surface of the outer tubular member and upstream from said distal end, and configured to permit fluid to exit outside from the catheter from the first fluid lumen;
• and fluid pressure means located external of the catheter upstream from the proximal end for delivering said fluid in the first fluid lumen at a pressure range predetermined to cause destruction of said obstruction providing a delivery of a fluid through the first fluid lumen to a distal end region of the catheter and at a pressure range predetermined to exit said fluid at a pressure and for a period of time causing destruction of said obstruction.