Baxter International Inc.

Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation

Timothy C Mills

Henry Nita

Douglas H Gesswein

Robert James Siegel

Robert A Pecor

David J Evans

Luchy D Roteliuk

Mark A Konno

Charles R Mooney

Clifford Currier

Howard Taymor-Luria

Pete B Klumb

John H Wang

Martinos Tran

Disclosed are methods and devices for removing obstructive matter from anatomical passageways, including the removal of obstructive matter from the cerebral vasculature, prostatic obstructions from the urinary tract and/or obstructive matter from the fallopian tubes.

Ultrasonic devices and methods for ablating and removing obstructive matter from anatomical passageways and blood vessels

An ultrasound delivery catheter equipped and configured for concurrent delivery of drugs or therapeutic agents. The catheter comprises an elongate pliable catheter body having an ultrasound delivery member or wire extending longitudinally therethrough. A drug/therapeutic agent infusion lumen also extends longitudinally through the body of the catheter and opens distally through one or more outflow apertures at or near the distal end of the catheter body. The drug/therapeutic agent outflow apertures are preferably positioned and configured to cause the drug or therapeutic agent to flow in direction(s) non-parallel to the longitudinal axis of the catheter. The delivery of ultrasound through the catheter, concurrent with infusion of drug or therapeutic agent therethrough, will cause the drug or therapeutic agent to be disseminated or dispersed by the ultrasonic vibration or movement at the distal end of the catheter.

Method of using a catheter for delivery of ultrasonic energy and medicament

An ultrasonic device and method for removing obstructive matter from an anatomical structure or passageway (e.g., blood vessel). The device comprises an elongate pliable catheter having a distal tip member attached to the distal end thereof, and an ultrasound transmission member which extends longitudinally therethrough to carry ultrasound from the proximal end of the catheter to the distal tip member. The distal tip member has a concave indentation formed in the distal surface thereof, and at least one inlet passageway extending therethrough in communication with a catheter lumen to facilitate suctioning of severed matter which becomes located within the concave indentation of the distal tip. The device may further incorporate means for infusing fluid (e.g., irrigation fluid, medicaments) separately or concurrently with the aspiration of the severed obstructive matter.

Ultrasonic angioplasty-atherectomy catheter and method of use

A method for treating obstructions of tubular anatomical passageways of the urinary tract, including the urethra and fallopian tubes, provides inserting an ultrasonic catheter device into an anatomical passageway, passing ultrasound to the distal end of the catheter and infusing liquid infusate to the distal end of the catheter to expel it through lateral fluid outflow apertures at a rate which will cause fluidic dilation of the anatomical passageway.

Ultrasonic method for ablating and removing obstructive matter from anatomical passageways and blood vessels

The method, device and system for electrical sealing of a puncture opening in a blood vessel wall. In a first embodiment, a vascular sealing probe has two bipolar electrodes formed thereon, is insertable to a position whereat the bipolar tip is adjacent the blood vessel puncture site to effect electrocauterization or electrocoagulation of the puncture site. In a second embodiment the bipolar vascular sealing probe has a first electrode formed thereon and an electrode-guide wire has the second bipolar electrode formed thereon. The electrode-guide wire is passable through a lumen formed in the probe such that the second electrode on the electrode-guide wire is positioned close enough to the first electrode positioned on the probe to permit electrical current to pass therebetween.

Bipolar vascular sealing apparatus and methods

Ultrasound catheter having integrated drug delivery system and methods

An ultrasonic catheter device for removing obstructive matter from anatomical passageway includes a tubular body with distal head member in which a plurality of fluid passageways are formed about the lateral surface to expel fluid outward generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body.

Ultrasound devices for ablating and removing obstructive matter from

Ultrasound delivery catheters comprising elongate flexible catheter bodies having rigid distal tip or head members inserted into, and affixed thereto. At least one ultrasound transmission member extends longitudinally through the catheter body and is coupled to the distal tip or head member. Additionally, the invention provides methods for manufacturing such ultrasound delivering catheters.

Ultrasound delivery catheters incorporating improved distal tip

A method and apparatus for driving an ultrasound transducer coupled to an ultrasound transmission disposed within an elongate catheter has a modulated output and utilizes feedback control. A modulating signal varying in amplitude and continuous in duration modulates an ultrasound transducer drive signal. The resulting modulated ultrasound transducer drive signal is likewise continuous in duration such that it lacks the abrupt accelerations which cause stress to be applied to the ultrasound transmission member in prior art devices. The current of the modulated drive signal is monitored and the voltage thereof is varied in response to changes in the current in order to provide feedback control. A transmission member breakage alarm provides an indication of transmission member breakage in the event that any comparison of the drive energy to the feedback control signal indicates that the desired ultrasonic vibration has been reached at a drive energy level less than the minimum drive energy level typically desired for such desired ultrasound vibration when the ultrasound transmission member is intact.

Ultrasound catheter system having modulated output with feedback control

An ultrasonic guidewire insertable into a mammalian body for purposes of guiding a medical catheter, scope or other medical device into the body and, additionally, connectable to an external ultrasound generating source to transmit ultrasonic energy into the body. The invention includes methods of using the ultrasonic guidewire for purposes of ablating obstructive matter in a blood vessel or other body cavity and/or for delivering ultrasonic energy to treat vasospasm or muscular spasms within the body.

Ultrasonic guidewire

A connector for attaching an ultrasound transducer to an ultrasound catheter has a support member formed on the ultrasound transducer for supporting at least a portion of a catheter coupling which is disposed at the proximal end of ultrasound catheter. The support member preferably comprises a collar slideably disposed upon the ultrasound transducer so as to move from a non-supporting position wherein the collar is disposed adjacent the catheter coupling to a supporting position wherein the collar is disposed around and engages the catheter coupling. Supporting at least a portion of the catheter coupling mitigates the occurrence of ultrasound transmission member breakage by reducing mechanical stress applied to the proximal end thereof.

Connector for coupling an ultrasound transducer to an ultrasound catheter

A device for measuring ultrasonic activity in an ultrasound delivery system has a sensor for providing an output representative of a sensed ultrasound vibration level, an indicator for receiving the output of the sensor and providing an indication of the vibration level sensed thereby, and a rigid body to which the sensor is attached. The rigid body comprises a sensor attaching portion and a catheter abutting portion configured to abut the distal end of an ultrasound delivery system catheter. Ultrasonic activity of the ultrasound delivery system is measured by abutting the distal end of the catheter to the catheter abutting portion of the rigid body and noting the indication provided by the indicator. Use of a disposable sterile catheter abutting portion removeably attachable to the sensor attaching portion facilitates isolation of the sensor attaching portion within a bag along with an ultrasound transducer.

Method and device for measuring ultrasonic activity in an ultrasound

An ultrasound catheter (10) for removing obstructions from tubular anatomic structures such as blood vessels, said catheter comprising an elongate flexible catheter body (20) having an ultrasound transmission member or wire (24) extending longitudinally therethrough. A distal head (26) is formed on the distal end member of the ultrasound transmission member or wire (24) and is affixed to the catheter body (20). The ultrasound transmission member or wire may be formed of any material capable of transmitting ultrasonic energy including various superelastic metal alloys such as nickel titanium metal alloys. The distal portion of the ultrasound transmission member or wire (24) may be of reduced diameter to provide enhanced flexibility and/or amplification of the ultrasonic energy through the distal portion of the ultrasound transmission member or wire. A proximal end member connector (12) may be provided with a sonic connector to effectively couple the catheter (10) to the ultrasound transducer (14).

Method and device for connecting ultrasound transmission member (S) to

An ultrasound catheter device for transmitting ultrasound into a mammalian body comprising an elongate catheter body having at least one lumen extending longitudinally therethrough. Also extending longitudinally through the lumen are at least two ultrasound transmission members, each of which have a proximal end coupleable to an external ultrasound source and a distal end which terminates near the distal end of the catheter.

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Newport Beach, CA, United States of America

Timothy C Mills