Other

Intertherapy, Inc.

James M Griffith

Paul J Zalesky

James M Gessert

James D Passafaro

Mario Maciel

Walter L Henry

Viet P Dinh

Joseph L Pope, Jr

A catheter for delivering both a probe and a balloon to a lumen in a subject. The probe is most preferably an ultrasonic imaging probe and the balloon a dilation balloon. The catheter comprises, at a proximal end, a triple lumen section that comprises a guidewire lumen, a probe lumen and a lumen for communicating with a balloon. As the lumens run toward the distal end of the catheter, a transition section is provided that merges the probe lumen and the guidewire lumen into a single lumen. The single lumen continues distally and is surrounded by the balloon. Distal of the balloon, the single lumen defines an imaging window section. The catheter terminates in a distal tip that is preferably tapered along both its inner and outer diameters; the tip comprises a distal lumen sized to accept a guidewire. In certain preferred embodiments, radio opaque markers are used to delineate the various sections of the catheter. Among its many advantages, the present invention readily permits back loading of a guidewire.

Sheath for guide wire probe

Combination catheter for invasive probe delivery and balloon dilation

An ultrasound imaging method for invasive imaging, in particular for imaging blood vessels including the coronary vessels. A sheath is comprised of three lumens; one serves as an ultrasound probe passage, one serves as a guide wire passage, and one serves as either a probe or a guide wire passage and is connected to the other two. Methods of using the sheath disclosed to obtain ultrasound images of a region within a subject are disclosed.

Method for ultrasound imaging

An ultrasound imaging sheath for invasive imaging, in particular for imaging blood vessels including the coronary vessels. The sheath is comprised of three lumens; one serves as an ultrasound probe passage, one serves as a guide wire passage, and one serves as either a probe or a guide wire passage and is connected to the other two. Methods of using the sheath disclosed to obtain ultrasound images of a region within a subject are also disclosed.

Ultrasound imaging sheath

An intravascular ultrasonic imaging probe includes a transducer subassembly adapted to being rotated within a guide catheter via a drive cable. The guide catheter establishes a bearing surface for supporting the transducer subassembly during rotation while also mechanically isolating the rotating transducer subassembly from surrounding tissue (thereby protecting the tissue from inadvertent and/or undesired tissue abrasion by the subassembly during rotation). The catheter is positioned within a vessel to be imaged by telescopically advancing the same over a previously positioned guide wire, the guide wire being withdrawn after the guide catheter is positioned. Thereafter, the imaging probe is inserted into the guide catheter and operated so as to obtain ultrasonic images of the vessel under investigation.

Intravascular ultrasonic imaging probe and methods of using same

Intravascular probe assemblies are provided with both ultrasonic imaging and laser ablation (angioplasty) capabilities. In preferred embodiments, the probe assemblies will include a distally positioned rotatable housing having an ultrasonic transducer and an optical fiber operatively fixed therein so as to respectively emit acoustic energy and laser radiation along a common path generally parallel to the housing's axis, but in opposing axial directions. An optical and acoustic reflector is interposed between the transducer and optical fiber so as to redirect incident acoustic energy and laser radiation generally radially with respect to the housing.

Medical probe assembly having combined ultrasonic imaging and laser

An ultrasonic imaging probe includes a probe guide assembly, an ultrasonic transducer fixed to the distal end of the probe guide assembly, and electrical cabling housed within the probe guide assembly and operatively connected to the transducer for sending electrical pulse/signals to/from the transducer. The transducer is of a type which emits/receives ultrasonic waves along a path parallel to the elongate axis of the probe. The ultrasonic waves are directed radially of the probe by means of a reflector element which is distally spaced from the transducer along the probe's axis by a dimension sufficient to remove 'dead space'(i.e., an area where ultrasonic imaging is not possible) radially of the catheter. An inductor coil (which tunes the transducer to the electrical cabling) is coaxially housed within the probe guide assembly closely adjacent the transducer and is electrically connected in series thereto. By removing the dead space radially of the catheter tube and by mounting an inductor coil closely adjacent the transducer within the probe guide assembly, a miniaturized ultrasonic imaging probe is provided which is especially useful for intravascular imaging/diagnostic procedures.

Ultrasound imaging probe with zero dead space

An array of miniature ultrasound crystals mounted on preassembled subassembly which is, in turn, mounted on a small lumen catheter provides dimensional and other quantitative information relating to arterial wall geometry and character at disease or obstruction sites. Balloons also mounted to the catheter make it possible to use the catheter for the angioplasty (PCTA) procedure while actually imaging, in real time, the artery being dilatated and unblocked by the procedure. Efficient, highly miniature transducers are presented along with several different configurations for catheter structure containing fluid lumen, through-lumen, and electrical microcable assemblies for conducting electrical signals to and from the transducers.

Growing community of inventors

Newport Beach, CA, United States of America

James M Griffith