Apparatus and method for an ultrasonic medical device to treat chronic total occlusions

• US 20050119679A1
• Filed: 10/28/2004
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cybersonics, Inc
• Original Assignee: OmniSonics Medical Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Rabiner, Robert A., Hare, Bradley A.
• Application Number:
  US10/976,267
• Publication Number:
  US 20050119679A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/159
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22012 in direct contact with, or very close to, the obstruction or concrement for removing obstructions in blood vessels by laser A61B18/245
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00137 Details of operation mode
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00274 Prostate operation, e.g. prostatectomy, turp, bhp treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22007 Cavitation or pseudocavitation, i.e. creation of gas bubbles generating a secondary shock wave when collapsing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22008 used or promoted
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22015 with details of the transmission member
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22018 segmented along its length
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22051 with an inflatable part, e.g. balloon, for positioning, blocking, or immobilisation A61B2017/22048, A61B2017/3486 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320069 for ablating tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320084 Irrigation sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320089 node location
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00547 Prostate
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00982 combined with or comprising means for visual or photographic inspections inside the body, e.g. endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/005 with suction drainage system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/007 with irrigation system
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/022 intracavitary

Abstract

An apparatus and method for using an ultrasonic medical device to treat chronic total occlusions comprises an ultrasonic probe, a transducer, a coupling engaging a proximal end of the ultrasonic probe to a distal end of the transducer and an ultrasonic energy source engaged to the transducer. The ultrasonic probe is inserted into a vasculature and placed in communication with the chronic total occlusion. The ultrasonic energy source produces an ultrasonic energy that is transmitted to the transducer, where the transducer creates a transverse ultrasonic vibration along the ultrasonic probe. The transverse ultrasonic vibration creates a plurality of transverse nodes and a plurality of transverse anti-nodes along the longitudinal axis of the ultrasonic probe, creating cavitation along a portion of the longitudinal axis of the ultrasonic probe to ablate the chronic total occlusion.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic medical device for ablating a chronic total occlusion comprising:

an ultrasonic probe having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis therebetween;

an ultrasonic energy source for producing an ultrasonic energy;

a transducer engaged to the ultrasonic energy source for transferring the ultrasonic energy; and

a coupling engaged to the transducer and the proximal end of the ultrasonic probe,

wherein a transverse ultrasonic vibration of the ultrasonic probe maneuvers the ultrasonic probe through the chronic total occlusion.

2. The ultrasonic medical device of claim 1 wherein a diameter of the ultrasonic probe is uniform from the proximal end to the distal end.

3. The ultrasonic medical device of claim 1 wherein a diameter of the ultrasonic probe varies from the proximal end to the distal end.

4. The ultrasonic medical device of claim 1 wherein the ultrasonic probe is a wire.

5. The ultrasonic medical device of claim 1 wherein the transducer creates the transverse ultrasonic vibration along at least a portion of the longitudinal axis of the ultrasonic probe.

6. The ultrasonic medical device of claim 1 wherein the transverse ultrasonic vibration along at least a portion of the longitudinal axis of the ultrasonic probe generates a plurality of transverse anti-nodes along at least a portion of the longitudinal axis of the ultrasonic probe.

7. The ultrasonic medical device of claim 6 wherein the plurality of transverse anti-nodes causes cavitation in a medium surrounding the ultrasonic probe to ablate the chronic total occlusion.

8. The ultrasonic medical device of claim 1 wherein the transverse ultrasonic vibration along at least a portion of the longitudinal axis of the ultrasonic probe generates acoustic energy in a medium surrounding the ultrasonic probe.

9. The ultrasonic medical device of claim 1 wherein the ultrasonic probe is disposable.

10. The ultrasonic medical device of claim 1 wherein the ultrasonic probe is for a single use on a single patient.

11. The ultrasonic medical device of claim 1 wherein the ultrasonic probe comprises a material that allows the ultrasonic probe to be bent, deflected and flexed.

12. The ultrasonic medical device of claim 1 wherein the ultrasonic probe comprises a diameter that enables insertion into a vasculature.

13. The ultrasonic medical device of claim 1 wherein a cross section of the ultrasonic probe is approximately circular.

14. The ultrasonic medical device of claim 1 wherein the ultrasonic probe contains a super-elastic alloy.

15. An ultrasonic medical device for treating a chronic total occlusion comprising:

an ultrasonic probe having a proximal end, a distal end terminating in a probe tip and a longitudinal axis between the proximal end and the distal end, the ultrasonic probe having a flexibility to be flexed through the vasculature and the chronic total occlusion;

a transducer creating a transverse ultrasonic vibration along at least a portion of the longitudinal axis of the ultrasonic probe;

a coupling engaging the proximal end of the ultrasonic probe to a distal end of the transducer; and

an ultrasonic energy source engaged to the transducer that produces an ultrasonic energy,

wherein the transverse ultrasonic vibration produces a plurality of transverse anti-nodes along a portion of the longitudinal axis of the ultrasonic probe to treat the chronic total occlusion.

16. The ultrasonic medical device of claim 15 wherein the ultrasonic probe supports the transverse ultrasonic vibration when flexed.

17. The ultrasonic medical device of claim 15 wherein the ultrasonic probe supporting the transverse ultrasonic vibration interacts with a medium surrounding the ultrasonic probe to create an acoustic wave in the medium.

18. The ultrasonic medical device of claim 15 wherein the ultrasonic energy source delivers ultrasonic energy in a frequency range from about 10 kHz to about 100 kHz.

19. The ultrasonic medical device of claim 15 wherein the ultrasonic energy source provides an electrical energy to the transducer at a resonant frequency of the transducer by finding the resonant frequency of the transducer.

20. The ultrasonic medical device of claim 15 wherein the ultrasonic probe contains a super-elastic alloy.

21. The ultrasonic medical device of claim 15 wherein the ultrasonic probe is disposable.

22. The ultrasonic medical device of claim 15 wherein the ultrasonic probe is for a single use on a single patient.

23. A method of ablating a chronic total occlusion comprising:

providing an ultrasonic medical device comprising an ultrasonic probe having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis therebetween;

inserting the ultrasonic probe into a vasculature;

moving the ultrasonic probe adjacent to the chronic total occlusion;

activating an ultrasonic energy source engaged to the ultrasonic probe to generate a transverse ultrasonic vibration along at least a portion of the longitudinal axis of the ultrasonic probe, and

placing the ultrasonic probe in communication with the chronic total occlusion;

wherein the transverse ultrasonic vibration of the ultrasonic probe creates an acoustic pressure surrounding the ultrasonic probe to ablate the chronic total occlusion and create a channel through the total chronic occlusion.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising sweeping the ultrasonic probe along the chronic total occlusion.

25. The method of claim 23 further comprising moving the ultrasonic back and forth along the chronic total occlusion.

26. The method of claim 23 further comprising rotating the ultrasonic probe along the chronic total occlusion.

27. The method of claim 23 further comprising twisting the ultrasonic probe along the chronic total occlusion.

28. The method of claim 23 wherein the transverse ultrasonic vibration creates a plurality of transverse nodes and a plurality of transverse anti-nodes along a portion of the longitudinal axis of the ultrasonic probe.

29. The method of claim 23 further comprising providing an electrical energy to a transducer at a resonant frequency of the transducer by the ultrasonic energy source determining the resonant frequency of the transducer.

30. The method of claim 23 further comprising delivering ultrasonic energy in a frequency range from about 10 kHz to about 100 kHz by the ultrasonic energy source.

31. The method of claim 23 wherein the ultrasonic probe contains a super-elastic alloy.

32. A method of removing a chronic total occlusion in a vasculature of a body comprising:

providing an ultrasonic medical device comprising an ultrasonic probe having a proximal end, a distal end terminating in a probe tip, and a longitudinal axis between the proximal end and the distal end;

inserting the ultrasonic probe in the vasculature;

moving the ultrasonic probe adjacent to the chronic total occlusion;

activating an ultrasonic energy source engaged to the ultrasonic probe to produce an electric signal that drives a transducer of the ultrasonic medical device to produce a transverse ultrasonic vibration of the ultrasonic probe;

advancing the ultrasonic probe through the chronic total occlusion,

wherein the transverse ultrasonic vibration produces cavitation in a medium surrounding the ultrasonic probe to ablate the chronic total occlusion along a portion of the longitudinal axis of the ultrasonic probe.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein a channel is created through the chronic total occlusion.

34. The method of claim 32 further comprising producing a plurality of transverse anti-nodes along a portion of the longitudinal axis of the ultrasonic probe by the transverse ultrasonic vibration.

35. The method of claim 32 further comprising inserting a vascular introducer in the vasculature to gain access to the vasculature.

36. The method of claim 32 further comprising twisting the ultrasonic probe along the chronic total occlusion.

37. The method of claim 32 further comprising rotating the ultrasonic probe along the chronic total occlusion.

38. The method of claim 32 further comprising sweeping the ultrasonic probe along the chronic total occlusion.

39. The method of claim 32 further comprising moving the ultrasonic back and forth along the chronic total occlusion.

40. The method of claim 32 wherein the ultrasonic probe contains a super-elastic alloy.