Steerable ultrasound catheter

An ultrasound catheter for disrupting occlusions in blood vessels which can be guided along a guidewire from an access site on a patient's body to a target site adjacent an occlusion, the ultrasound catheter comprising:

• an elongate flexible catheter body having a proximal portion, a distal portion, a distally narrowing taper, and at least one lumen, wherein the proximal portion is stiffer than the distal portion, and the distal portion is more flexible near a distal end of the catheter body than near the proximal portion of the catheter body;
• an ultrasound transmission member extending longitudinally through the lumen of the catheter body and having a proximal end and a distal end, and a distally narrowing taper, wherein the ultrasound transmission member is more flexible near its distal end than near its proximal end, and wherein the distal portion of the catheter body and the ultrasound transmission member are sufficiently flexible to conform concomitantly with at least one bend in a guidewire extended through the at least one lumen;
• a distal head coupled with the distal end of the ultrasound transmission member and disposed adjacent the distal end of the catheter body;
• a guidewire tube having a distal end that is flush with a distal end of the distal head;
• and
• at least one coupling member for coupling the ultrasound transmission member with a source of ultrasound energy,
• wherein the distally narrowing taper of the ultrasound transmission member extends distally beyond the distally narrowing taper of the elongate flexible catheter body.

An ultrasound catheter for disrupting occlusions in blood vessels which can be guided along a guidewire from an access site on a patient's body to a target site adjacent an occlusion, the ultrasound catheter comprising:

• an elongate flexible catheter body having a proximal portion, a distal portion having at least one bend, and at least one lumen, wherein the proximal portion is stiffer than the distal portion, and the distal portion is more flexible near a distal end of the catheter body than near the proximal portion of the catheter body;
• an ultrasound transmission member extending longitudinally through the lumen of the catheter body and having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the ultrasound transmission member is more flexible near its distal end than near its proximal end, wherein the ultrasound transmission member conforms to the at least one bend in the distal portion of the catheter body, and wherein the distal portion of the catheter body and the ultrasound transmission member are sufficiently flexible to conform concomitantly to at least one bend in a guidewire extended through the at least one lumen;
• a distal head coupled with the distal end of the ultrasound transmission member and disposed adjacent the distal end of the catheter body;
• and
• at least one coupling member for coupling the ultrasound transmission member with a source of ultrasound energy.

An ultrasound catheter for disrupting occlusions in blood vessels which can be guided from an access site on a patient's body to a target site adjacent an occlusion, the ultrasound catheter comprising:

• an elongate flexible catheter body having a proximal portion, a distal portion, at least one lumen, and a guidewire tube disposed within the lumen, wherein the proximal portion is stiffer than the distal portion;
• an ultrasound transmission member extending longitudinally through the lumen of the catheter body;
• a distal head coupled with the distal end of the ultrasound transmission member and disposed adjacent the distal end of the catheter body;
• and
• at least one coupling member for coupling the ultrasound transmission member with a source of ultrasound energy;
• wherein the guidewire tube includes at least one opening within the catheter body for providing contact between a guidewire extending through the guidewire tube and the ultrasound transmission member, and wherein the ultrasound transmission member passes through the guidewire tube via the at least one opening to contact the guidewire.

An ultrasound catheter for disrupting occlusions in blood vessels which can be guided from an access site on a patient's body to a target site adjacent an occlusion, the ultrasound catheter comprising:

• an elongate flexible catheter body having a proximal portion, a distal portion and at least one lumen, wherein the proximal portion is stiffer than the distal portion;
• an ultrasound transmission member extending longitudinally through the lumen of the catheter body;
• a distal head coupled with the distal end of the ultrasound transmission member and disposed adjacent the distal end of the catheter body, the distal head including:
• a guidewire aperture in a center of a distal end of the distal head;
• and
• a guidewire lumen extending through the distal head, the guidewire lumen having a different longitudinal axis than a longitudinal axis of the catheter body;
• and
• at least one coupling member for coupling the ultrasound transmission member with a source of ultrasound energy.

An ultrasound catheter for disrupting occlusions in blood vessels which can be guided from an access site on a patient's body to a target site adjacent an occlusion, the ultrasound catheter comprising:

• an elongate flexible catheter body having a proximal portion, a distal portion and at least one lumen, wherein the proximal portion is stiffer than the distal portion, and the distal portion is more flexible near a distal end of the catheter body than near the proximal portion of the catheter body;
• an ultrasound transmission member extending longitudinally through the lumen of the catheter body and having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the ultrasound transmission member is more flexible near its distal end than near its proximal end;
• a distal head coupled with the distal end of the ultrasound transmission member and disposed adjacent the distal end of the catheter body;
• a guidewire tube that extends partially through the distal head, the guidewire tube having a distal end that is proximal to a distal end of the distal head;
• and
• at least one coupling member for coupling the ultrasound transmission member with a source of ultrasound energy, the at least one coupling member comprising a housing fixedly coupled with the proximal end of the catheter body such that torque applied to the housing is transmitted along the catheter body to its distal portion,
• wherein the guidewire tube comprises a longitudinal axis that is different from a longitudinal axis of the catheter body.