Acoustic performance monitoring system and method within intravascular lithotripsy device

A method for treating a treatment site within or adjacent to a vessel wall or a heart valve within a body of a patient with a catheter system, the method comprising steps of:

• generating energy with an energy source;
• positioning an inflatable balloon substantially adjacent to the treatment site, the inflatable balloon having a balloon wall that defines a balloon interior that receives a balloon fluid;
• receiving energy from the energy source with an energy guide;
• guiding the energy with the energy guide into the balloon interior;
• sensing acoustic sound waves generated in the balloon fluid within the balloon interior with an acoustic sensor that is positioned outside of the body of the patient, wherein the step of sensing includes normal operation of the catheter system generating acoustic sound waves in the balloon fluid within the balloon interior within predetermined acoustic frequency and amplitude thresholds;
• generating a sensor signal with the acoustic sensor based at least in part on the sensed acoustic sound waves generated in the balloon fluid within the balloon interior;
• electrically coupling a system controller to the acoustic sensor;
• receiving the sensor signal from the acoustic sensor with the system controller;
• controlling operation of the catheter system with the system controller based at least in part on the sensor signal;
• and
• comparing acoustic frequencies and amplitudes within the sensed acoustic sound waves from the sensor signal with the system controller to the predetermined frequency and amplitude thresholds to determine if the sensed acoustic sound waves are outside a normal operating range.

A method for treating a treatment site within or adjacent to a vessel wall or a heart valve within a body of a patient with a catheter system, the method comprising steps of:

• generating pulses of energy with a laser;
• positioning an inflatable balloon substantially adjacent to the treatment site, the inflatable balloon having a balloon wall that defines a balloon interior that receives a balloon fluid;
• receiving the pulses of energy from the laser with an energy guide;
• guiding the pulses of energy with the energy guide into the balloon interior to induce plasma formation in the balloon fluid within the balloon interior, the plasma formation causing rapid bubble formation and imparting pressure waves upon the balloon wall adjacent to the treatment site;
• sensing acoustic sound waves generated in the balloon fluid within the balloon interior with an acoustic sensor that is positioned outside of the body of the patient;
• and
• generating a sensor signal with the acoustic sensor based at least in part on the sensed acoustic sound waves generated in the balloon fluid within the balloon interior.