Fortified balloon inflation fluid for plasma system to disrupt vascular lesions

A method for generating pressure waves to induce fractures at a treatment site within or adjacent a vessel wall of a blood vessel, the method comprising the steps of:

• advancing a catheter to the treatment site within the blood vessel, the catheter comprising an elongate shaft and a balloon coupled to the elongate shaft;
• disposing a first light guide along the elongate shaft so that the first light guide is positioned at least partially within the balloon;
• expanding the balloon with a fortified balloon inflation fluid to a first expanded configuration suitable for anchoring the catheter in position relative to the treatment site, the fortified balloon inflation fluid comprising a base inflation fluid and a fortification component, the fortification component being configured to reduce a threshold for inducing plasma formation in the fortified balloon inflation fluid compared to the base inflation fluid, wherein the fortification component includes one of carbon and iron, and wherein the fortification component is provided as a fortification component coating disposed on a surface of a structure that is in fluid communication with the base inflation fluid, the fortified balloon inflation fluid including absorptive agents having an absorption maxima of greater than 10 nanometers and less than 2.5 micrometers, the step of expanding the balloon including the steps of providing the fortification component as the fortification component coating disposed on one of an inside surface of a balloon wall of the balloon and a surface of the elongate shaft that is in fluid communication with the base inflation fluid, providing the base inflation fluid to the balloon, and the base inflation fluid solvating the fortification component coating to form the fortified balloon inflation fluid;
• and
• after expanding the balloon, activating a light source in optical communication with the light guide and the fortified balloon inflation fluid to provide sub-millisecond pulses of a light from the light source to the fortified balloon inflation fluid so that plasma formation and rapid bubble formation occur in the fortified balloon inflation fluid, thereby imparting pressure waves upon the treatment site.

A catheter system for imparting pressure to induce fractures at a treatment site within or adjacent a blood vessel wall, comprising:

• a catheter configured to advance to the treatment site, the catheter comprising an elongate shaft and a balloon that is coupled to the elongate shaft, the balloon being configured to expand to a first expanded configuration suitable for anchoring the catheter in position relative to the treatment site;
• a fortified balloon inflation fluid that is configured to expand the balloon to the first expanded configuration, the fortified balloon inflation fluid including a base inflation fluid and a fortification component, the fortification component being configured to reduce a threshold for inducing plasma formation in the fortified balloon inflation fluid compared to the base inflation fluid, wherein the fortification component comprises one of iron nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles, copper nanoparticles, carbon nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, gold-coated carbon nanotubes, iron dextran, and copper-coated carbon nanotubes, and wherein the fortification component is provided as a fortification component coating disposed on a surface of a structure that is in fluid communication with the base inflation fluid;
• and
• a first light guide that is disposed along the elongate shaft and at least partially within the balloon, the first light guide being configured to be in optical communication with a light source and the fortified balloon inflation fluid, the light source being configured to provide sub-millisecond pulses of a light to the first light guide so that plasma formation and rapid bubble formation occur in the fortified balloon inflation fluid, thereby imparting pressure waves upon the treatment site, the fortified balloon inflation fluid including absorptive agents having an absorption maxima of greater than 10 nanometers and less than 2.5 micrometers, the pressure waves having maximum pressures that are greater than 1 megapascal and less than 100 megapascals.