SHOCKWAVE BALLOON CATHETER SYSTEM

• US 20090312768A1
• Filed: 06/11/2009
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shockwave Medical, Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Aspen MedTech, Inc.
• Inventors: HAWKINS, Daniel, ADAMS, John M., ALFERNESS, Clifton A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,956,371 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/128
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/2202 the ultrasound transducer being inside patient's body at the distal end of the catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22022 using electric discharge
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22029 Means for measuring shock waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/2251 characterised by coupling elements between the apparatus, e.g. shock wave apparatus or locating means, and the patient, e.g. details of bags, pressure control of bag on patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320725 with radially expandable cutting or abrading elements A61B17/32075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22001 Angioplasty, e.g. PCTA
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22021 electric leads passing through the catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22024 with a part reflecting mechanical vibrations, e.g. for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22025 applying a shock wave A61B2017/22091 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22038 with a guide wire
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22058 reflective
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22061 for spreading elements apart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22062 to be filled with liquid

Abstract

A system for breaking obstructions in body lumens includes a catheter including an elongated carrier, a balloon about the carrier in sealed relation thereto, the balloon being arranged to receive a fluid therein that inflates the balloon, and an arc generator including at least one electrode within the balloon that forms a mechanical shock wave within the balloon. The system further includes a power source that provides electrical energy to the arc generator.

Claims

1. A catheter comprising:

an elongated carrier;

a balloon about the carrier in sealed relation thereto, the balloon being arranged to receive a fluid therein that inflates the balloon; and

an arc generator including at least one electrode within the balloon that forms a mechanical shock wave within the balloon.

2. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrode includes a pair of metallic electrodes.

3. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the balloon is formed of non-compliant material.

4. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the balloon is formed of compliant material.

5. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the balloon has a surface, and wherein the catheter further comprises at least one stress riser carried on the surface of the balloon.

6. The catheter of claim 1, further comprising a sensor that senses reflected energy.

7. The catheter of claim 1, further comprising a reflector within the dilating balloon that focuses the shock waves.

8. The catheter of claim 1, further including a lumen for receiving a guide wire.

9. A system comprising:

a catheter including an elongated carrier, a balloon about the carrier in sealed relation thereto, the balloon being arranged to receive a fluid therein that inflates the balloon, and an arc generator including at least one electrode within the balloon that forms a mechanical shock wave within the balloon and

a power source that provides electrical energy to the arc generator.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the power source is arranged to provide pulsed high voltage.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the power source is arranged to provide high voltage pulses having at least one of selectable pulse durations, selectable voltage amplitudes, and selectable pulse repetition rates.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising an R wave detector that synchronizes the mechanical shock waves with cardiac R waves.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the catheter includes a lumen for receiving a guide wire.

14. A method comprising:

providing a catheter including an elongated carrier, a balloon about the carrier in sealed relation thereto, the balloon being arranged to receive a fluid therein that inflates the balloon, and an arc generator including at least one electrode within the balloon that forms a mechanical shock wave within the balloon;

inserting the catheter into a body lumen of a patient adjacent to an obstruction of the body lumen;

admitting fluid into the balloon; and

applying high voltage pulses to the arc generator to form a series of mechanical shocks within the balloon.

15. The method of claim 14, including the further step of detecting cardiac R waves of the patient'"'"'s heart, and synchronizing the mechanical shocks with the detected R waves.

16. The method of claim 14, including the further step of varying one of the repetition rate, amplitude and duration of the high voltage pulses to vary the intensity of the mechanical shock waves.

17. The method of claim 14, including the further step of sensing reflected energy within the catheter.

18. The method of claim 14, including the further step of placing a guide wire into the body lumen and guiding the catheter into the body lumen along the guide wire.

19. The method of claim 14 including the further step of focusing the mechanical shockwaves.

20. The method of claim 14 including the further steps of adding an x-ray contrast to the fluid and visualizing the catheter under fluoroscopy.