Intravascular lithotripsy devices and systems with forward facing electrodes and flex circuit arrangements
AssigneeCardiovascular Systems, Inc.
InventorsMatthew W. Tilstra, Joseph P. Higgins
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A catheter system creates a primarily forward force from forwardly facing electrodes provided within the arrangement of a balloon catheter. The system includes a high voltage pulse generator that provides plus and minus voltage connections with electrode wires. The electrode wires can also pass through a lumen of a catheter toward a distal end of the catheter where they are connected to electrodes preferably arranged in series to create one of more energy waves for propagation toward a thrombus or calcified lesion. Inflation fluid can be injected to balloon as facilitated. The inflation fluid is preferably a saline solution so that it has some level of conductivity.
Claims18
An intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) system for use in providing an energy wave as a force to a lesion within a vasculature, the IVL system comprising,
- a catheter that extends from a proximal end to a distal end with an electrode and conductive tube arrangement at a distal end of the catheter, wherein the electrode is provided within the conductive tubing and spaced from the conductive tubing by an insulating layer, the electrode having a forward-facing electrode distal end, the conductive tubing also including a forward-facing conductive tubing distal end that is spaced radially relative to the distal end of the electrode to create at least one spark gap between the forward facing electrode distal end.
The IVL system of claim 4, wherein the insulating layer similarly extends to terminate adjacent to the distal ends of the electrodes and the conductive tubing, and a guide wire insulating layer is provided inside of the electrodes to define a guidewire lumen.
A method of using an intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) system against a lesion within a vasculature comprising:
- inserting an IVL catheter having a balloon, a conductive tubing, and at least one electrode within the vasculature of a patient to the point of a lesion within the vasculature being located beyond the distal end of the balloon, wherein the electrode has a distal end and the conductive tube also has a distal end so that a spark gap is created between the distal ends of the electrode and the conductive tubing;
- electrically connecting the conductive tubing and the electrode with a high voltage pulse generator;
- delivering a fluid that is at least partially conductive to the balloon;
- and
- generating a high voltage pulse at the high voltage pulse generator and thereby creating a spark at the spark gap with a cavitation bubble such that forward-facing energy waves are propagated within the fluid of the balloon and from the balloon to the lesion.
An intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) system for use in providing an energy wave as a force to a lesion with a vasculature, the IVL system comprising,
- a catheter that extends from a proximal end to a distal end with an electrode and conductive tube arrangement at a distal end of the catheter with plural electrodes provided adjacent to the distal end of the catheter, also including a flex circuit extending from the proximal end of the catheter to the electrodes for electrically connecting the electrodes to a high voltage pulse generator at the proximal end of the flex circuit, wherein the flex circuit is spirally wound within and along at least a portion of the catheter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.