Blood flow reestablishment determination

• US 20060106308A1
• Filed: 12/01/2005
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Douglas R. Hansmann, Floyd Karp, Kim R. Volz, Natalya Peskin, Robert L. Wilcox
• Original Assignee: Douglas R. Hansmann, Floyd Karp, Kim R. Volz, Natalya Peskin, Robert L. Wilcox
• Inventors: Volz, Kim R., Hansmann, Douglas R., Wilcox, Robert L., Peskin, Natalya, Karp, Floyd
• Application Number:
  US11/291,355
• Publication Number:
  US 20060106308A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/439
• 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 2017/00057 Light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00084 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00101 using an array of thermosensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22021 electric leads passing through the catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22082 after introduction of a substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22084 stone- or thrombus-dissolving

Abstract

A method for monitoring a clot dissolution treatment in a patient'"'"'s vasculature comprises positioning a catheter at a treatment site in the patient'"'"'s vasculature. The method further comprises performing a clot dissolution treatment at the treatment site. The clot dissolution treatment comprises delivering ultrasonic energy and a therapeutic compound from the catheter to the treatment site such that a clot located at the treatment site at least partially dissolves. The method further comprises delivering a thermal measurement signal from a first portion of the catheter to the treatment site during the clot dissolution treatment. The method further comprises receiving the thermal measurement signal at a second portion of the catheter. The method further comprises comparing the delivered thermal measurement signal with the received thermal measurement signal to evaluate a blood flow rate at the treatment site.

Claims

1-33. -33. (canceled)

34. A method for monitoring reduction of a vascular occlusion, the method comprising:

(a) positioning a catheter at a treatment site in a patient'"'"'s vasculature, wherein the vascular occlusion is located at the treatment site;

(b) treating the vascular occlusion, wherein treating the vascular occlusion comprises delivering ultrasonic energy from the catheter to the vascular occlusion;

(c) performing a plurality of temperature measurements at the treatment site while treating the vascular occlusion; and

(d) using the plurality of temperature measurements to evaluate an extent to which the vascular occlusion is reduced.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising adjusting the delivery of ultrasonic energy to the vascular occlusion based on the extent to which the vascular occlusion is reduced.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein treating the vascular occlusion further comprises delivering a therapeutic compound from the catheter to the treatment site.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising adjusting the delivery of therapeutic compound to the treatment site based on the extent to which the vascular occlusion is reduced.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein treating the vascular occlusion further comprises delivering a therapeutic compound from the catheter to the treatment site simultaneous with the delivery of ultrasonic energy.

39. The method of claim 34, wherein delivering ultrasonic energy from the catheter to the vascular occlusion comprises delivering ultrasonic energy during a first time period and pausing delivery of ultrasonic energy during a second time period.

40. The method of claim 34, further comprising comparing the plurality of temperature measurements with a reference profile to further evaluate the extent to which the vascular occlusion is reduced.

41. The method of claim 34, further comprising using the plurality of temperature measurements to evaluate a blood flow rate at the treatment site.

42. The method of claim 34 wherein the plurality of temperature measurements are obtained using an ultrasound radiating member coupled to the catheter.

43. An ultrasound catheter for evaluating a reduction of a vascular occlusion located at a treatment site within a patient'"'"'s vasculature, the ultrasound catheter comprising:

an ultrasonic assembly comprising at least one ultrasound radiating member configured to deliver ultrasonic energy to the vascular occlusion;

a thermal energy detector configured to obtain a temperature measurement at the treatment site;

control circuitry configured to evaluate a plurality of temperature measurements obtained at the treatment site using the thermal energy detector, and evaluate an extent to which the vascular occlusion is reduced.

44. The ultrasound catheter of claim 43, wherein the thermal energy detector comprises an ultrasound radiating member that is part of the ultrasonic assembly.

45. The ultrasound catheter of claim 43, wherein the thermal energy detect is also configured to deliver ultrasonic energy to the vascular occlusion.

46. The ultrasound catheter of claim 43, wherein the thermal energy detector is configured to obtain temperature measurements after ultrasonic energy has been delivered to the vascular occlusion.

47. The ultrasound catheter of claim 43, further comprising a fluid delivery lumen configured to deliver a therapeutic compound to the vascular occlusion.

48. The ultrasound catheter of claim 43, wherein the thermal energy detector is a thermocouple.

49. The ultrasound catheter of claim 43, wherein the thermal energy detector is positioned distal to the at least one ultrasound radiating member.

50. The ultrasound catheter of claim 43, wherein the ultrasonic assembly comprises a hollow tubular ultrasound radiating member.

51. The ultrasound catheter of claim 43, wherein the ultrasonic assembly comprises a plurality of ultrasound radiating members that are spaced apart from each other.

52. A method comprising:

(a) positioning an ultrasound catheter at a treatment site in a patient'"'"'s vasculature, wherein a vascular occlusion is located at the treatment site;

(b) applying ultrasonic energy to the vascular occlusion from an ultrasound radiating member positioned within the ultrasound catheter;

(c) making a plurality of temperature measurements at the treatment site;

(d) determining the position of the ultrasound radiating member relative to the vascular occlusion based on an evaluation of the plurality of thermal energy measurements; and

(e) repositioning the ultrasound radiating member based on the relative position determined in step (d).

53. The method of claim 52, further comprising delivering a therapeutic compound to the treatment site.

54. The method of claim 52, wherein the ultrasound radiating member is coupled to an inner core that is movable within the catheter.

55. The method of claim 52, wherein the ultrasound radiating member has a hollow tubular configuration.

56. The method of claim 52, further comprising repeating steps (c) through (e) a plurality of times.

57. The method of claim 52, further comprising displaying information relating to the relative position of the ultrasound radiating member and the vascular occlusion on a user interface display.

58. The method of claim 52, further comprising displaying the plurality of thermal energy measurements on a user interface display.

59. The method of claim 52, wherein the plurality of temperature measurements are made using a device selected from the group consisting of an ultrasound radiating member and a thermocouple.