Balloon surface photoacoustic pressure wave generation to disrupt vascular lesions

A photoacoustic catheter adapted for placement within a blood vessel having a vessel wall, the photoacoustic catheter comprising:

• an elongate shaft extending between a proximal region and a distal region, the elongate shaft comprising a light guide that is in optical communication with a light source;
• a balloon coupled to the elongate shaft, the balloon selectively expanding from a collapsed configuration suitable for advancing the photoacoustic catheter through a patient's vasculature to a first expanded configuration suitable for anchoring the balloon in position relative to a treatment site;
• and
• a photoacoustic transducer disposed on a surface of the balloon and in optical communication with the light guide, the photoacoustic transducer comprising a light-absorbing material and a thermal expansion material;
• wherein the thermal expansion material and the light-absorbing material are positioned adjacent to one another in layers;
• wherein a wall of the balloon comprises integrated fluid bubbles.

A photoacoustic catheter adapted for placement within a blood vessel having a vessel wall, the photoacoustic catheter comprising:

• an elongate shaft extending between a proximal region and a distal region, the elongate shaft comprising a light guide that is in optical communication with a light source;
• a balloon coupled to the elongate shaft, the balloon selectively expanding from a collapsed configuration suitable for advancing the photoacoustic catheter through a patient's vasculature to a first expanded configuration suitable for anchoring the balloon in position relative to a treatment site;
• and
• a photoacoustic transducer disposed on a surface of the balloon and in optical communication with the light guide, the photoacoustic transducer comprising a light-absorbing material and a thermal expansion material;
• wherein a distal portion of the light guide includes a diffraction grating pattern configured to direct light from the light guide to one or more light pattern locations when the balloon is in the first expanded configuration;
• wherein the thermal expansion material and the light-absorbing material are positioned adjacent to one another in layers to form a composite film around the balloon;
• wherein a wall of the balloon comprises integrated fluid bubbles.