Ultrasound catheter devices and methods
AssigneeFlowcardia, Inc.
InventorsHenry Nita, Jeff Sarge, Simeon Nguyen, Richard Spano
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Ultrasound catheter devices and methods provide enhanced disruption of blood vessel obstructions. Generally, ultrasound catheters include an elongate flexible catheter body with one or more lumens, an ultrasound transmission member extending longitudinally through the catheter body lumen and a distal head coupled with the transmission member and positioned adjacent the distal end of the catheter body for disrupting occlusions. Improved features of ultrasound catheters include prevention of independent rotation of the ultrasound transmission member, a safety anchor for the distal head, a one-piece transmission member/distal head and the like.
Claims47
An ultrasound catheter for disrupting occlusions in blood vessels, the ultrasound catheter comprising:
- an elongate flexible catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end and at least one lumen;
- an ultrasound transmission member extending longitudinally through the lumen of the catheter body and having a proximal end and a distal 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 sonic connector coupled with the proximal end of the ultrasound transmission member for coupling the ultrasound transmission member with an ultrasound transducer device;
- and
- a connector housing coupled with the proximal end of the catheter body for housing the sonic connector and a proximal portion of the ultrasound transmission member and for preventing the ultrasound transmission member from rotating relative to the catheter body;
- wherein the connector housing comprises a housing cavity having a shape, and the sonic connector has a shape that is complementary to the housing cavity shape, such that when the sonic connector is disposed within the housing cavity, the sonic connector shape cannot rotate relative to the housing cavity shape.
An ultrasound catheter for disrupting occlusions in blood vessels, the ultrasound catheter comprising:
- an elongate flexible catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end and at least one lumen;
- an ultrasound transmission member extending longitudinally through the lumen of the catheter body and having a proximal end and a distal 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 sonic connector coupled with the proximal end of the ultrasound transmission member for coupling the ultrasound transmission member with an ultrasound transducer device;
- and
- a rotation control member coupled with the proximal end of the catheter body and shaped to prevent the ultrasound transmission member from rotating relative to the catheter body.
An ultrasound catheter for disrupting occlusions in blood vessels, the ultrasound catheter comprising:
- an elongate flexible catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end and at least one lumen;
- an ultrasound transmission member extending longitudinally through the lumen of the catheter body and having a proximal end and a distal 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 sonic connector coupled with the proximal end of the ultrasound transmission member for coupling the ultrasound transmission member with an ultrasound transducer device;
- and
- means for coupling the sonic connector with the ultrasound transducer device the means shaped to prevent the ultrasound transmission member from rotating relative to the catheter body.
An ultrasound catheter system for disrupting occlusions in blood vessels;
- the ultrasound catheter system comprising:
- an elongate flexible catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end and at least one lumen;
- an ultrasound transmission member extending longitudinally through the lumen of the catheter body and having a proximal end and a distal 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 sonic connector coupled with the proximal end of the ultrasound transmission member;
- a connector housing having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end coupled with the proximal end of the catheter body, for housing the sonic connector and a proximal portion of the ultrasound transmission member and shaped for preventing the ultrasound transmission member from rotating relative to the catheter body;
- and
- an ultrasound transducer device removably couplable with the sonic connector and the proximal end of the connector housing.
An ultrasound catheter for disrupting occlusions in blood vessels, the ultrasound catheter comprising:
- an elongate flexible catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end and at least one lumen;
- an ultrasound transmission member extending longitudinally through the lumen of the catheter body and having a proximal end and a distal end;
- 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 anchor member for anchoring the distal head to at least a part of the ultrasound catheter.
An ultrasound catheter for disrupting occlusions in blood vessels, the ultrasound catheter comprising:
- an elongate flexible catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end and at least one lumen;
- an ultrasound transmission member extending longitudinally through the lumen of the catheter body and having a proximal end, a distal end and a distal head, wherein the distal head and the rest of the ultrasound transmission member are manufactured from one piece of material;
- and
- a sonic connector coupled with the proximal end of the ultrasound transmission member for coupling the ultrasound transmission member with an ultrasound transducer device.
An ultrasound catheter for disrupting occlusions in blood vessels, the ultrasound catheter comprising:
- an elongate flexible catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end and at least one lumen;
- an ultrasound transmission member extending longitudinally through the lumen of the catheter body and having a proximal end and a distal end, the ultrasound transmission member comprising a metal alloy including at least two metal components and having a tensile strength of between 170,000 Psi and 250,000 Psi;
- and
- 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 having an average density not to exceed 5 g/cm3.
An ultrasound catheter for disrupting occlusions in blood vessels, the ultrasound catheter comprising:
- an elongate flexible catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end and at least one lumen, the catheter body comprising at least in part a polymeric material having a flexural modulus of elasticity of less than 160 Psi;
- an ultrasound transmission member extending longitudinally through the lumen of the catheter body and having a proximal end and a distal end;
- a distal head coupled with the distal end of the ultrasound transmission member and disposed adjacent the distal end of the catheter body;
- and
- a sonic connector coupled with the proximal end of the ultrasound transmission member for coupling the ultrasound transmission member with an ultrasound transducer device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.