Kona Medical, Inc.

Therus Corporation

Therus Corpoation

David M Perozek

Jimin Zhang

Lee Weng

Michael Eric Gertner

Arash Sabet

Charles Dale Emery

Larry Augustine

Robyn Lahman

Thomas Anderson

A targeting catheter is used to locate an arteriotomy, such as is formed during a femoral artery catheterization procedure. The targeting catheter includes one or more targeting aids, such as an inflatable balloon or sensor (e.g., Doppler or temperature sensor), to locate the arteriotomy. The targeting aid may be positioned at the arteriotomy. An ultrasonic beacon on the catheter may then be located relative to a therapeutic ultrasonic applicator (e.g., by using acoustic time-of-flight) so that the focus of ultrasonic energy from the applicator can be aligned with the arteriotomy.

System and method for treating a therapeutic site

A system for applying high intensity ultrasound energy to a nerve surrounding an artery of a patient includes a piezoelectric array comprising a plurality of ultrasound elements, a controller configured to individually control a phasing of each of the ultrasound elements, a platform on which the ultrasound elements are coupled, wherein the platform is configured to support at least a part of the patient, a programmable generator configured to generate an output power for at least one of the ultrasound elements, and a programmable processor configured to process a signal transmitted from one of the ultrasound elements and reflected back from tissue, and determine a tissue characteristic based on the reflected signal.

Energetic modulation of nerves

A system for applying focused ultrasound energy to a nerve surrounding an artery of a patient includes a piezoelectric array comprising a plurality of piezoelectric elements, a controller configured to control at least a subset of the piezoelectric elements so that at least one of the piezoelectric elements in the subset is in a signal transmitting mode, in a signal sensing mode, or both, a first platform on which the piezoelectric elements are coupled and a second platform, wherein the second platform is configured to support at least a part of the patient, a programmable generator configured to generate output power for one or more of the piezoelectric elements, and a programmable processor configured to process a signal sensed by at least one of the piezoelectric elements.

A method to deliver focused ultrasound energy from a position outside a skin of a patient to a nerve surrounding a blood vessel, includes placing the patient on a table in a substantially flat position, moving a transducer into a position inferior to ribs, superior to an iliac crest, and lateral to a spine of the patient, maintaining the transducer at the position relative to the patient, and delivering focused ultrasound energy through the skin of the patient without traversing bone, wherein the direction of the focused ultrasound is directed from a lower torso to an upper torso of the patient.

A system for treatment of an autonomic nervous system of a patient includes a focused ultrasound energy source for placement outside the patient, wherein the focused ultrasound energy source is configured to deliver ultrasound energy towards a blood vessel with a surrounding nerve that is a part of the autonomic nervous system inside the patient, and wherein the focused ultrasound energy source is configured to deliver the ultrasound energy based on a position of an indwelling vascular catheter.

An ultrasound system used for both imaging and delivery high intensity ultrasound energy therapy to treatment sites and a method for treating tumors and other undesired tissue within a patient's body with an ultrasound device. The ultrasound device has an ultrasound transducer array disposed on a distal end of an elongate, relatively thin shaft. In one form of the invention, the transducer array is disposed within a liquid-filled elastomeric material that more effectively couples ultrasound energy into the tumor, that is directly contacted with the device. Using the device in a continuous wave mode, a necrotic zone of tissue having a desired size and shape (e.g., a necrotic volume selected to interrupt a blood supply to a tumor) can be created by controlling at least one of the f-number, duration, intensity, and direction of the ultrasound energy administered. This method speeds the therapy and avoids continuously pausing to enable intervening normal tissue to cool.

Controlled high efficiency lesion formation using high intensity ultrasound

A system for treatment includes a focused ultrasound energy source for placement outside a patient, wherein the focused ultrasound energy source is configured to deliver ultrasound energy towards a blood vessel with a surrounding nerve that is a part of an autonomic nervous system inside the patient, and wherein the focused ultrasound energy source is configured to deliver the ultrasound energy from outside the patient to the nerve located inside the patient to treat the nerve.

An ultrasonic applicator unit () is used diagnostically to locate a puncture wound () in an artery and then therapeutically to seal the puncture wound with high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). A control unit () coupled to the applicator unit includes a processor () that automates the procedure, controlling various parameters of the diagnostic and therapeutic modes, including the intensity and duration of the ultrasonic energy emitted by the applicator unit. A protective, sterile acoustic shell (), which is intended to be used with a single patient and then discarded, is slipped over the applicator unit to protect against direct contact between the applicator unit and the patient and to maintain a sterile field at the site of the puncture. The apparatus and method are particularly applicable to sealing a puncture made when inserting a catheter into an artery or other vessel. Several different procedures are described for locating the puncture wound, including imaging the vessel in which the puncture is disposed and use of a locator rod to determine the disposition of the puncture along the longitudinal axis of the artery.

Methods and apparatus for focused ultrasound application

Methods and devices to target vascular targets with high intensity focused ultrasound

Systems and methods for maintaining the alignment of a therapeutic ultrasound applicator to a target site are described. Overlapping ultrasound signals are sent to a target tissue site and the echo detected. An algorithm is described for detecting tissue movement relative to the applicator based on comparison of the echo with a previously stored echo.

Systems and methods for ultrasound applicator station keeping

Methods for applying heat to a region proximate a blood vessel are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method can include generating an imaging ultrasound beam adapted to image a blood vessel target and receiving a reflection of the imaging ultrasound beam. The method can also include producing an output signal in response to the reflection of the imaging ultrasonic beam and processing the output signal to identify a location of a treatment zone proximate an outer wall of the blood vessel. Therapeutic energy can be applied to the treatment zone. In some embodiments, the therapeutic ultrasound energy beam can be moved to over-scan the treatment zone. Other methods are also disclosed.

Methods to deliver high intensity focused ultrasound to target regions proximate blood vessels

Ultrasound applicators able to both image a treatment site and administer ultrasound therapy include an array of transducer elements that can be focused. In several embodiments, an electronically phased array is used for controlling the focal point of an ultrasound beam. The ultrasound beam produced thereby can also be electronically steered. To reduce the quality factor or Q of the array when the array is used for imaging, an electronic switch is selectively closed, placing a resistance in parallel with each of the array elements. A flexible array is employed in several embodiments and is selectively bent or flexed to vary its radius of curvature and thus control the focal point and/or a direction of focus of the array. In another embodiment, each of the transducer elements comprising the array are individually mechanically pivotable to steer the ultrasonic beam produced by the transducer elements.

Growing community of inventors

Mercer Island, WA, United States of America

David M Perozek