Scimed Life Systems, Inc.

Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.

Boston Scientific Technology, Inc.

Stryker Corporation

Stryker Nv Operations Limited

James D Koger

Isaac Ostrovsky

Anthony J Pantages

Steven Nelson Roe

Kamal Ramzipoor

Lawrence D Wasicek

William Martin Belef

Donald S Mamayek

Harm TenHoff

Gopal Chopra

Manuel Serrano

Robert J Crowley

A method of mounting a transducer to a driveshaft which eliminates the need for a transducer housing, the improved method directly attaches the transducer to a rigid distal tip of a driveshaft which is part of a rotatable imaging core of a catheter assembly. The method contemplates heat treating the distal tip of the driveshaft to make it rigid, machining the distal tip to be dimensioned to hold the transducer, and attaching the transducer to the distal tip by clamping, crimping, or an adhesive.

Method of mounting a transducer to a driveshaft

A medical system includes an inner core and an imager located at the distal end of the inner core, wherein the imager is extendable from within an elongated tubular member and configured to penetrate a body tissue within a living body. The elongated tubular member is configured to slideably receive the inner core. The inner core is configured to rotate radially around a longitudinal axis of the elongated member, and the imager can be configured to image a body tissue and output an image signal to an imaging system communicatively coupled with the imager. The imaging system is configured to generate an image of the body tissue from the image signal of the imager when the imager is rotated and placed into contact with the body tissue.

Systems and methods for internal tissue penetration

A medical system is a medical device, such as a catheter, that includes an inner core and an imager that is extendable from within an elongated tubular member and configured to penetrate a body tissue within a living body. The elongated tubular member has a distal end and is configured to slideably receive the inner core. The distal end is further configured to allow the inner core to advance outside the elongated member. The inner core has a distal end and is configured to rotate radially around a longitudinal axis of the elongated member. The device can further include an imager located at the distal end of the inner core, and the imager can be configured to image a body tissue and output an image signal to an imaging system communicatively coupled with the imager. The imaging system is configured to generate an image of the body tissue from the image signal of the imager when the imager is rotated and placed into contact with the body tissue such that the imager penetrates the body tissue.

An intravascular imaging guidewire which can accomplish longitudinal translation of an imaging plane allowing imaging, by acoustic other high quality imaging energy, of an axial length of a region of interest without moving the guidewire. The imaging guidewire comprises a body in the form of a flexible elongate tubular member. An elongate flexible imaging core is slidably received within the body. The imaging core includes a shaft having an imaging device mounted on its distal end. The body and the imaging core are cooperatively constructed to enable axial translation of the imaging core and imaging device relative to the body. The body has a transparent distal portion extending an axial length over which axially translatable imaging may be performed. The imaging guidewire has a maximum diameter over its entire length sized to be received within a guidewire lumen of an intravascular catheter.

Intravascular imaging guidewire

An ultrasound transducer having an acoustic backing layer made of an aerogel material is disclosed. The ultrasound transducer comprises an acoustic element for transmitting and receiving ultrasound waves. An aerogel acoustic backing layer is bonded to the back side of the acoustic element. A matching layer may be attached to the front side of the acoustic element. The ultrasound transducer may be electrically connected using electrodes directly connected to the acoustic element. Alternatively, the aerogel acoustic backing may be coated with a metalized layer or doped so that it is electrically conductive. Then, the electrodes may be connected directly to the aerogel acoustic backing.

Aerogel backed ultrasound transducer

An ultrasound transducer including a one-twelfth wavelength impedance matching transformer and methods of manufacturing and using the same. The transducer comprises a transducer element for transmitting and receiving ultrasound waves, a first impedance matching layer, and a second impedance matching layer. The transducer element has a transmitting/receiving surface, an impedance, and a thickness of substantially one-half wavelength of an ultrasound wave generated thereby. The first impedance matching layer is formed on the transmitting/receiving surface of the transducer element and has a thickness of substantially one-twelfth wavelength of the ultrasound wave travelling therein. The second impedance matching layer is formed on a selected surface of the first impedance matching layer and has a thickness of substantially one-twelfth wavelength of the ultrasound passing therethrough. An impedance of the first impedance matching layer is substantially equal to an impedance of an operating medium; whereas, an impedance of the second impedance matching layer is substantially equal to the impedance of the transducer element.

One-twelfth wavelength impedence matching transformer

An intravascular imaging guidewire which can accomplish longitudinal translation of an imaging plane allowing imaging of an axial length of a region of interest without moving the guidewire. The imaging guidewire comprises a body in the form of a flexible elongate tubular member. An elongate flexible imaging core is slidably received within the body. The imaging core includes a shaft having an imaging device mounted on its distal end. The body and the imaging core are cooperatively constructed to enable axial translation of the imaging core and imaging device relative to the body. The body has a transparent distal portion extending an axial length over which axially translatable imaging may be performed. The imaging guidewire has a maximum diameter over its entire length sized to be received within a guidewire lumen of an intravascular catheter.

A transducer assembly having an improved external connection configuration, a method for manufacturing such a transducer assembly, and a catheter system incorporating the transducer assembly. The improved connection configuration is achieved by creating a conductive path from an upper electrode of the transducer to an upper surface of the transducer assembly so that an external electrical lead can be attached to the active portion of the transducer element via the path.

Center conductor and PZT bonding technique

An ultrasound transducer having an extended focus for enabling an ultrasound imaging catheter to image features at a distance from the transducer with a high resolution and a high penetration depth. The ultrasound transducer is configured such that the acoustic path-length from the periphery of the transducer is increased relative to the acoustic path-length from the center of the transducer thereby increasing the transition length and focal length of the transducer. The ultrasound transducer may include an acoustic element having a convex surface on a side which transmits and receives ultrasound waves. An acoustic backing material may be attached to the acoustic element opposite the side where ultrasound waves are transmitted and received, and an acoustic matching layer may be provided on the convex surface of the acoustic element. The acoustic matching layer may have a substantially uniform thickness such that it also has a convex outer surface. The radius of curvature of the convex surface of the acoustic transducer element will determine the focal length for a given size and frequency of operation of the ultrasound transducer.

Ultrasound transducer with extended focus

A multi-function intraluminal ultrasound catheter assembly includes an axially disposed lumen having at least a first portion with a flat inner wall forming a 'D-shaped' cross-section. An acoustic imaging window having a circular cross-section is connected to a distal end of the catheter assembly, wherein the cross-sectional dimension of the D-shaped portion of the lumen that extends from the flat inner wall is less that the available inner diameter of the imaging window. A flexible drive-shaft extends through the lumen and is connected to a transducer housing disposed in the acoustic imaging window area, the transducer housing having a substantially 'D-shaped' outer perimeter, wherein the drive-shaft and connected transducer housing may thereby be retracted from the catheter assembly by first rotating the transducer housing until its D-shaped outer perimeter is substantially oriented with the D-shaped cross-section of the lumen. In a preferred embodiment, the transducer housing also includes a longitudinally disposed transducer mounting section configured such that the active surface of a transducer mounted therein is generally aligned across the maximal inner diameter of the acoustic imaging window.

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Santa Cruz, CA, United States of America

James D Koger