Externally enhanced ultrasonic therapy
First Claim
1. A method for treating a vascular occlusion in a patient'"'"'s body, the method comprising:
- exposing the vascular occlusion to an external ultrasonic energy field that is generated outside the patient'"'"'s body;
positioning an ultrasound radiating member in the patient'"'"'s body in the vicinity of the vascular occlusion;
exposing the vascular occlusion to an internal ultrasonic energy field that is generated by the ultrasound radiating member;
using the ultrasound radiating member to detect a first characteristic of the external ultrasonic energy field; and
adjusting a second characteristic of the external ultrasonic energy field based on the detected first characteristic of the external ultrasonic energy field.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In one embodiment, a method for treating a vascular occlusion in a patient'"'"'s body comprises exposing the vascular occlusion to an external ultrasonic energy field that is generated outside the patient'"'"'s body. The method further comprises positioning an ultrasound radiating member in the patient'"'"'s body in the vicinity of the vascular occlusion. The method further comprises exposing the vascular occlusion to an internal ultrasonic energy field that is generated by the ultrasound radiating member. The method further comprises using the ultrasound radiating member to detect a first characteristic of the external ultrasonic energy field. The method further comprises adjusting a second characteristic of the external ultrasonic energy field based on the detected first characteristic of the external ultrasonic energy field.
-
Citations
24 Claims
-
1. A method for treating a vascular occlusion in a patient'"'"'s body, the method comprising:
-
exposing the vascular occlusion to an external ultrasonic energy field that is generated outside the patient'"'"'s body;
positioning an ultrasound radiating member in the patient'"'"'s body in the vicinity of the vascular occlusion;
exposing the vascular occlusion to an internal ultrasonic energy field that is generated by the ultrasound radiating member;
using the ultrasound radiating member to detect a first characteristic of the external ultrasonic energy field; and
adjusting a second characteristic of the external ultrasonic energy field based on the detected first characteristic of the external ultrasonic energy field. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A system for treating a vascular occlusion within a patient'"'"'s vasculature, the system comprising:
-
an extracorporeal ultrasound radiating member positioned within a housing;
an internal ultrasound radiating member coupled to an elongate body that is configured to be passed through the patient'"'"'s vasculature to the vascular occlusion; and
a control system that is configured to (a) supply an extracorporeal drive signal to the extracorporeal ultrasound radiating member and an internal drive signal to the internal ultrasound radiating member, and (b) receive a microphone signal from the internal ultrasound radiating member, wherein the control system is configured to adjust the extracorporeal drive signal based on the microphone signal. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A method comprising:
-
positioning an ultrasound radiating member in a patient'"'"'s vasculature in the vicinity of a vascular occlusion;
irradiating the vascular occlusion with ultrasonic energy generated by a first ultrasonic energy field that is generated by the ultrasound radiating member;
delivering a therapeutic compound to the vascular occlusion; and
exposing a portion of the patient'"'"'s vasculature that is downstream with respect to the vascular occlusion to a second ultrasonic energy field that is generated by an extracorporeal ultrasound radiating member. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
Specification