Intravascular lithotripsy catheters with laterally movable and positionable emitters

A catheter for treating a lesion in a body lumen, the catheter comprising:

• an elongated tube;
• an enclosure sealed to a distal end of the elongated tube;
• and
• an emitter assembly disposed within the enclosure, the emitter assembly comprising:
• at least one emitter configured to generate shock waves inside the enclosure when power is supplied to the at least one emitter;
• and
• a support structure supporting the at least one emitter, the support structure configured to expand outwardly relative to a central longitudinal axis of the elongated tube to move the at least one emitter farther from the central longitudinal axis, wherein the support structure comprises a plurality of segments connected by respective joints.

A catheter for treating a lesion in a body lumen, the catheter comprising:

• an elongated tube;
• an enclosure sealed to a distal end of the elongated tube;
• and
• an emitter assembly disposed within the enclosure, the emitter assembly comprising:
• at least one emitter configured to generate shock waves inside the enclosure when power is supplied to the at least one emitter;
• a support structure supporting the at least one emitter, the support structure configured to expand outwardly relative to a central longitudinal axis of the elongated tube to move the at least one emitter farther from the central longitudinal axis;
• and
• an elongate member that extends along the longitudinal axis through at least a portion of the support structure, wherein movement of the elongate member in a proximal direction or a distal direction causes expansion of the support structure.

A catheter for treating a lesion in a body lumen, the catheter comprising:

• an elongated tube;
• an enclosure sealed to a distal end of the elongated tube;
• and
• an emitter assembly disposed within the enclosure, the emitter assembly comprising:
• at least one emitter configured to generate shock waves inside the enclosure when power is supplied to the at least one emitter;
• a support structure supporting the at least one emitter, the support structure configured to expand outwardly relative to a central longitudinal axis of the elongated tube to move the at least one emitter farther from the central longitudinal axis;
• and
• one or more springs connected to a proximal end or a distal end of the support structure.