Device and method for generating forward directed shock waves
AssigneeShockwave Medical, Inc.
InventorHoa D. Nguyen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Described herein is a shock wave device for the treatment of vascular occlusions. The shock wave device includes an outer covering and an inner member inner connected at a distal end of the device. First and second conductive wires extend along the length of the device within the volume between the outer covering and the inner member. A conductive emitter band circumscribes the ends of the first and second wires to form a first spark gap between the end of the first wire and the emitter band and a second spark gap between the end of the second wire and the emitter band. When the volume is filled with conductive fluid and a high voltage pulse is applied across the first and second wires, first and second shock waves can be initiated from the first and second spark gaps.
Claims15
A catheter for treating occlusions in blood vessels, comprising:
- a tubular inner member;
- an emitter assembly comprising:
- a first insulated wire extending along a length of the tubular inner member with an uninsulated distal face;
- a second insulated wire extending along the length of the tubular inner member having an uninsulated distal face, the second insulated wire being circumferentially offset from the first insulated wire;
- an electrically conductive sheath wrapped circumferentially around the first insulated wire and the second insulated wire with a first spark gap extending between the electrically conductive sheath and the distal face of the first insulated wire and a second spark gap extending between the electrically conductive sheath and the distal face of the second insulated wire;
- and
- a flexible member sealably attached to a distal end of the catheter and surrounding the emitter assembly, said flexible member being fillable with conductive fluid, wherein when the flexible member is filled with the conductive fluid and an electrical pulse is applied across the first and second wires, first and second shock waves will be initiated from the first and second spark gaps.
A method for treating occlusions in blood vessels, comprising:
- introducing a catheter into a patient's vasculature, the catheter comprising:
- a tubular inner member;
- an emitter assembly comprising:
- a first insulated wire extending along a length of the tubular inner member with an uninsulated distal face;
- a second insulated wire extending along the length of the tubular inner member having an uninsulated distal face, the second insulated wire being circumferentially offset from the first insulated wire;
- an electrically conductive sheath wrapped circumferentially around the first insulated wire and the second insulated wire with a first spark gap extending between the electrically conductive sheath and the distal face of the first insulated wire and a second spark gap extending between the electrically conductive sheath and the distal face of the second insulated wire;
- a flexible member sealably attached to the distal end of the catheter and surrounding the emitter assembly, said flexible member being fillable with conductive fluid;
- advancing the catheter within the vasculature such that the distal end of the catheter is aligned with a first treatment region;
- filling the flexible member with the conductive fluid;
- and
- applying an electrical pulse across the first and second conductive wires to initiate first and second shock waves from the first and second spark gaps.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.