Shock wave catheter system with energy control

A catheter for delivering shockwaves to a calcified lesion comprising:

• an elongated carrier;
• a pair of electrodes carried by the elongated carrier, said electrodes being immersed in a conductive liquid;
• a power source with a circuit coupled to the electrodes for supplying voltage pulses to the electrodes, said power source including a capacitor and a switch, each voltage pulse between 1000 volts and 10,000 volts, each voltage pulse being generated by closing the switch that causes a charge stored on the capacitor to be delivered to the pair of electrodes, each voltage pulse having sufficient energy to generate an arc in the conductive liquid and allowing current to flow across the pair of electrodes to produce a shock wave associated with the expansion of a steam bubble;
• and
• a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of the conductive liquid proximate to the pair of electrodes, wherein the power source is responsive to the temperature sensor, wherein the temperature sensor causes the power source to decrease or terminate energy applied across the pair of electrodes responsive to the temperature of the conductive liquid proximate to the pair of electrodes.