Flowcardia, Inc.

Target Therapeutics, Inc.

Other

Scimed Life Systems, Inc.

Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.

C. R. Bard, Inc.

Penumbra, Inc.

Boston Scientific Corporation

Henry Nita

Jeff Sarge

Simon Nguyen

Martinos Tran

Richard Samuel Spano

Lex Philip Jansen

Thomas Yung-Hui Chien

Jeffrey A Sarge

Erik T Engelson

Peter K Park

Gene L Samson

John Ortiz

Simeon Nguyen

Marlowe E Patterson

Huey Chan

Hong Doan

Paul C Slaikeu

Hanh Doan

Quang Q Tran

Alain Cornil

Rhoda M Santos

Timothy C Mills

Simon Ngoc Huu Nguyen

Huey Quoc Chan

A method for making a vibrational catheter device includes providing a transition connector comprising a proximal portion, a distal portion, and a tapered portion that defines a tapered outer surface of the transition connector, the proximal portion being wider than the distal portion, and the transition connector having a bore disposed within the tapered portion; inserting a proximal end of an ultrasound transmission member into the bore; and deforming at least part of the transition connector at the tapered outer surface so as to apply greater force to the wider proximal portion than to the distal portion to secure the proximal end of the ultrasound transmission member within the bore.

Vibrational catheter devices and methods for making same

An ultrasonic system includes an ultrasound transducer housing, an ultrasonic catheter, and a transducer mechanism. The ultrasound transducer housing contains a transducer horn configured to be connected to a signal generator. The ultrasonic catheter includes an ultrasound transmission member having a proximal end and disposed in the lumen, a sonic connector that connects the proximal end of the ultrasound transmission member with the transducer horn, a control ring, and a nesting piece configured to selectively receive the sonic connector. The control ring is operatively coupled to the nesting piece to move the nesting piece. The transducer mechanism is configured to move from a first position to a second position, and wherein the transducer mechanism is configured such that movement of the transducer mechanism from the first position to the second position engages the control ring on the catheter to move the nesting piece.

Connector for securing ultrasound catheter to transducer

A method of making an ultrasonic catheter, disposing an ultrasound member in the main lumen of a flexible catheter body; providing an intermediate member and a tip, wherein at least a tip maximum-diameter portion is disposed in the intermediate member, wherein an intermediate-member outer diameter substantially matches a main lumen inner diameter, and wherein a tip distal cross-section has a tip distal cross-section area less than a tip proximal cross-section area of a tip proximal cross-section; and attaching the intermediate member to the catheter body and to the tip, wherein at least one of the tip and the intermediate member is configured to prevent separation of the tip of the ultrasound member from the catheter body.

Ultrasound catheter having improved distal end

A catheter includes a catheter body (CB) having a CB proximal-portion, a CB distal-portion, and a CB lumen. The CB distal-portion has a CB distal end. The CB proximal-portion has a distally narrowing taper, wherein the CB distal-portion extends distally from the distally narrowing taper of the CB proximal-portion. The CB lumen extends through the CB proximal-portion and the CB distal-portion. An ultrasound transmission member (UTM) has a UTM distal end. The UTM extends longitudinally through the CB lumen. The UTM has a longitudinal taper that tapers toward the UTM distal end, and wherein the longitudinal taper tapers distally from the distally narrowing taper of the CB proximal-portion. A distal head (DH) is coupled with the UTM distal end and is disposed adjacent the CB distal end.

Steerable ultrasound catheter

An ultrasound catheter includes a catheter body, an ultrasound transmission member, a sonic connector, a constraining member, and a vibrational absorber. The vibrational absorber has an opening through which the ultrasonic transmission member extends. The vibrational absorber is located in a recessed portion of the constraining member. The vibrational absorber is both longitudinally interposed between the constraining member and the distal portion of the sonic connector and laterally interposed between the recessed portion of the constraining member and the ultrasound transmission member. The recessed portion of the constraining member overlaps a portion of an exterior of the distal portion of the sonic connector.

Ultrasound catheter apparatus

An ultrasound catheter has an elongate flexible catheter body having a lumen extending longitudinally therethrough, and an ultrasound transmission member extending longitudinally through the lumen of the catheter body. The ultrasound transmission member has a proximal end that is coupled to a separate ultrasound generating device, and a distal tip that is attached to the distal end of the ultrasound transmission member and which is located at the distal end of the catheter body. The ultrasound transmission member is directly attached to the catheter body and/or to a guidewire tube either directly or via an attachment device. The catheter has an additional radiopaque marker positioned on the distal end the catheter.

Ultrasound catheter having protective feature against breakage

A method of assembling an ultrasound catheter includes providing an elongated catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and at least one lumen extending longitudinally therethrough; coupling a proximal housing to the proximal end of the elongated catheter body, the proximal housing having a distal bore; inserting an ultrasound transmission member through the lumen of the catheter body; positioning a sonic connector on the proximal end of the ultrasound transmission member for connecting the ultrasound transmission member to a separate ultrasound generating device at a connection location, the sonic connector having a proximal section and a front portion, the proximal portion provided for connection to the separate ultrasound generating device; connecting the front portion of the sonic connector to the proximal end of the ultrasound transmission member; and retaining an absorber inside the distal bore of the proximal housing wherein the absorber substantially surrounds the ultrasound transmission member.

Therapeutic ultrasound system

A method of operating an ultrasound catheter includes providing an elongate catheter body having at least a first lumen; providing a housing coupled with a proximal end of the elongate catheter body, the housing having an inner cavity; providing a fluid inlet in fluid communication with at least one of the first lumen and the inner cavity; providing a sonic connector coupled to a proximal portion of an ultrasound transmission member; providing vibration absorption O-rings disposed in the inner cavity around at least a portion of the ultrasound transmission member, the plurality of vibration absorption O-rings being located distal to the sonic connector; and delivering fluid to the fluid inlet to supply the fluid at least distally into the first lumen of the elongate catheter body to dissipate heat received from the ultrasound transmission member in the first lumen of the elongate catheter body.

Ultrasound catheter devices and methods

An ultrasound catheter has an elongate flexible catheter body having a lumen extending longitudinally therethrough, and an ultrasound transmission member extending longitudinally through the lumen of the catheter body. The ultrasound transmission member has a proximal end that is coupled to a separate ultrasound generating device, and a distal tip that is attached to the distal end of the ultrasound transmission member and which is located at the distal end of the catheter body. The distal tip has at least one dimensional step. The ultrasound transmission member is directly attached to the catheter body and/or to a guidewire tube, either directly or via an attachment device. The catheter has an additional radiopaque marker positioned on the distal end of the catheter.

An ultrasonic catheter includes a body and an ultrasound transmission member disposed in the body. A head is coupled to the ultrasound transmission member, wherein a gap separates the head from a body distal end. A guidewire tube extends through the body and the head. A proximal end connector assembly includes a hub and an absorber member. The hub has a bore coupled to and in fluid communication with the body. The absorber member is disposed within the bore around the ultrasound transmission member. A sonic connector is disposed between the ultrasound transmission member and a separate generator.

Ultrasound catheter for disrupting blood vessel obstructions

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.

Ultrasound catheter devices and methods provide enhanced disruption of blood vessel obstructions. Ultrasound catheter devices generally 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 catheter bodies and ultrasound transmission members with increasing distal flexibility, guidewire tubes allowing contact between a guidewire and an ultrasound transmission member, distal heads with improved guidewire lumens, and torquable proximal housings for enhancing disruption of blood vessel occlusions.

A vibrational catheter for disrupting obstructions in lumens such as blood vessels includes an elongate flexible catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end and at least one lumen extending longitudinally therethrough, a vibrational transmission member extending longitudinally through the lumen of the catheter body and having a proximal end and a distal end, and a transition connector attached to the proximal end of the vibrational transmission member for coupling the transmission member with a vibrational energy source. The transition connector includes a bore into which the proximal end of the vibrational transmission member extends. The proximal end of the vibrational transmission member is attached within the bore of the transition connector with variable attachment forces such that the transition connector exerts a lowest amount of attachment force on an attached distal-most portion of the vibrational transmission member housed within the bore.

Ultrasound catheter devices and methods of the present invention generally provide for ablation and/or disruption of vascular occlusions. An ultrasound transmission member, such as a wire, transmits vibrational energy from an ultrasound transducer to a distal head of the catheter to disrupt vascular occlusions. An absorber member is disposed on or around the ultrasound transmission wire at a location adjacent the sonic connector of the catheter. The absorber member absorbs heat, vibrations, and/or the like from the ultrasound transmission wire at or near the area where the transmission wire is coupled with the sonic connector. The absorptive function typically slows the process of wear and tear on the transmission wire, thus extending the useful life of the ultrasound catheter.

An ultrasound system has a catheter including an elongate flexible catheter body having at least one lumen extending longitudinally therethrough. The catheter further includes an ultrasound transmission member extending longitudinally through the lumen of the catheter body, the ultrasound transmission member having a proximal end connectable to a separate ultrasound generating device and a distal end coupled to the distal end of the catheter body. The distal end of the catheter body is deflectable. The ultrasound system also includes a sonic connector that connects the ultrasound transmission member to an ultrasound transducer. The ultrasound system also provides a method for reverse irrigation and removal of particles.

Growing community of inventors

Redwood City, CA, United States of America

Henry Nita