STEERABLE ULTRASOUND CATHETER
First Claim
1. A method for disrupting an occlusion in a blood vessel, the method. comprising:
- advancing an ultrasound catheter through a blood vessel having at least one bend, the catheter conforming concomitantly to the at least one bend, wherein advancing includes contacting an ultrasound transmission member of the ultrasound catheter with a guidewire at one or more locations within the catheter;
positioning a distal end of the ultrasound catheter adjacent an occlusion in the blood vessel; and
transmitting ultrasound energy to the ultrasound transmission member to disrupt the occlusion into multiple occlusion fragments, wherein transmitting includes transmitting ultrasound energy to the guidewire.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Ultrasound catheter devices and methods provide enhanced disruption of blood vessel obstructions. Ultrasound catheter devices generally include an elongate flexible catheter body with one or more lumens, an ultrasound transmission member extending longitudinally through the catheter body lumen and a distal head coupled with the transmission member and positioned adjacent the distal end of the catheter body for disrupting occlusions. Improved features of ultrasound catheters include catheter bodies and ultrasound transmission members with increasing distal flexibility, guidewire tubes allowing contact between a guidewire and an ultrasound transmission member, distal heads with improved guidewire lumens, and torquable proximal housings for enhancing disruption of blood vessel occlusions.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A method for disrupting an occlusion in a blood vessel, the method. comprising:
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advancing an ultrasound catheter through a blood vessel having at least one bend, the catheter conforming concomitantly to the at least one bend, wherein advancing includes contacting an ultrasound transmission member of the ultrasound catheter with a guidewire at one or more locations within the catheter; positioning a distal end of the ultrasound catheter adjacent an occlusion in the blood vessel; and transmitting ultrasound energy to the ultrasound transmission member to disrupt the occlusion into multiple occlusion fragments, wherein transmitting includes transmitting ultrasound energy to the guidewire. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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Specification