US 7,758,510 B2Granted

Connector for securing ultrasound catheter to transducer

AssigneeFlowcardia, Inc.

InventorsHenry Nita, Martinos Tran

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An ultrasound system has an ultrasound transducer having a transducer housing and a horn provided at the distal end of the transducer housing, an ultrasound transmission member, a sonic connector that is connected to the horn and the proximal end of the ultrasound transmission member, and a catheter knob having a proximal end that is coupled to the distal end of the transducer housing. The catheter knob has a proximal bore that houses the sonic connector. The system also includes a nesting piece that is retained inside the proximal bore of the catheter knob. The nesting piece can be moved from a first position where the sonic connector is received inside the nesting piece to a second position where the sonic connector is separated from the nesting piece when ultrasound energy is being propagated through the ultrasound transmission member.

Claims1

Dependent claims

A method of using an ultrasound system during a medical procedure, comprising:

a. providing an ultrasound system having:
an elongate flexible catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and at least one lumen extending longitudinally therethrough;
an ultrasound transmission member extending through the lumen of the catheter body, the ultrasound transmission member having a proximal end;
an ultrasound transducer having a transducer horn;
a sonic connector that is directly connected to the proximal end of the ultrasound transmission member and attached the transducer horn;
and
a mechanism that is moveable with respect to the sonic connector;
and
b. moving the mechanism from a first position where the sonic connector is attached to the transducer horn, to a second position where ultrasound energy is being propagated through the ultrasound transmission member;
wherein the mechanism immediately surrounds the sonic connector when the mechanism is in the first position, and the mechanism is spaced-apart from, and does not surround, the sonic connector when the mechanism is in the second position to minimize energy loss during ultrasound energy propagation.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/192,749Filed 29 Jul 2005 · continuation
Priority: 19 Sep 2003
Published: US 2005/0283080 A122 Dec 2005
Granted: 20 Jul 2010
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

A61B 17/320068
Surgical cutting instruments: using mechanical vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic
A61B 8/12
Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves: in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters
A61B 8/445
Related to the probe: details of catheter construction
A61B 90/50
Instruments, implements or accessories specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis and not covered by any of the groups A61B1/00 - A61B50/00,…

Family

Application10/666,459Parent of this continuation · filed 19 Sep 2003
US 2005/0283080 A1Pre-grant publication · published 22 Dec 2005
US 6,942,620 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2004/0059227 A1Published application
US 7,758,510 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.