NON-CAVITATION SHOCKWAVE BALLOON CATHETER SYSTEM

• US 20120221013A1
• Filed: 05/07/2012
• Published: 08/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shockwave Medical, Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Shockwave Medical, Incorporated
• Inventors: ALFERNESS, Clifton A., ADAMS, John M., HAWKINS, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 9,072,534 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 17/2251 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 2017/22024 with a part reflecting mechanical vibrations, e.g. for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22025 applying a shock wave A61B2017/22091 takes precedence

Abstract

An angioplasty catheter includes an elongated carrier, and an angioplasty balloon about the carrier in sealed relation thereto. The balloon is arranged to receive a fluid therein that inflates the balloon. The catheter further includes a shock wave generator within the balloon that forms a rapidly expanding and collapsing bubble within the balloon to form mechanical shock waves within the balloon. The expanding bubble forms a first shock and the collapsing balloon forms a second shock wave. The shock wave generator is arranged such that the energy of the first shock wave is greater than the energy of the second shock wave.

Claims

1. An angioplasty catheter comprising:

an elongated carrier;

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

a shock wave generator within the balloon that forms a rapidly expanding and collapsing bubble within the balloon to form mechanical shock waves within the balloon.

2. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the shock wave generator forms a first shock wave as the bubble expands and a second shock wave as the bubble collapses.

3. The catheter of claim 2, wherein the first and second shock waves have energies, and wherein the energy of the first shock wave is greater than the energy of the second shock wave.

4. The catheter of claim 3, wherein the shock wave generator is arranged to form a bubble that is non-symmetrical in configuration.

5. The catheter of claim 3, wherein the shock wave generator is arranged to form a bubble that is non-spherical in configuration.

6. The catheter of claim 3 wherein the shock wave generator is arranged to suppress the second shock wave.

7. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the shock wave generator comprises an electrical arc generator.

8. The catheter of claim 7, wherein the electrical arc generator is arranged to form a plasma having a duration of less than about two microseconds.

9. The catheter of claim 7, wherein the electrical arc generator is arranged to form a plasma having a duration of less than about one microsecond.

10. The catheter of claim 7, wherein the electrical arc generator is rotatable.

11. The catheter of claim 10, wherein the electrical arc generator comprises at least one conductive electrode.

12. The catheter of claim 11, wherein the at least one conductive electrode is formed from stainless steel.

13. The catheter of claim 11, wherein the at least one conductive electrode is formed from tungsten.

14. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the shock wave generator comprises a laser generator.

15. A method comprising:

providing a catheter including an elongated carrier, an angioplasty balloon about the carrier in sealed relation thereto, the balloon being arranged to receive a fluid therein that inflates the balloon;

inserting the catheter into a body lumen of a patient adjacent a blockage or restriction of the body lumen;

admitting fluid into the balloon; and

forming a rapidly expanding and collapsing bubble within the balloon to form mechanical shock waves within the balloon.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the forming step includes creating a first shock wave as the bubble expands and creating a second shock wave as the bubble collapses.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first and second shock waves have energies, and wherein the forming step further includes causing the energy of the first shock wave to be greater than the energy of the second shock.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the forming step further includes causing the bubble to have a non-symmetrical configuration.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the forming step further includes forming a bubble that is non-spherical in configuration.

20. The method of claim 16 including the further step of suppressing the second shock wave.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the forming step includes creating an electrical arc within the balloon.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the forming step includes creating an electrical arc within the balloon having a duration less than two microseconds.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the duration of the electrical arc is less than one microsecond.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein the forming step includes generating a laser beam within the balloon.