Method of treatment of atherosclerosis and a balloon catheter for same

• US 4,512,762 A
• Filed: 11/23/1982
• Issued: 04/23/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: BETH Israel Medical Center (Mount Sinai Beth Israel)
• Original Assignee: BETH Israel Medical Center (Mount Sinai Beth Israel)
• Inventors: Spears, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum, C. Fred
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lester, Michelle N.
• Application Number:
  US06/443,958
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 604/20, 604/21, 604/49-53, 604/96-100, 128/303.1, 128/303.11, 128/325, 128/344, 128/630, 128/653, 128/654, 128/656, 128/658, 128/665, 128/666, 128/398
• US Class Current: 604/21
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22 Implements for squeezing-off ulcers or the like on the inside of inner organs of the body; Implements for scraping-out cavities of body organs, e.g. bones; Calculus removers; Calculus smashing apparatus; Apparatus for removing obstructions in blood vessels, not otherwise provided for dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/245 for removing obstructions in blood vessels or calculi
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00694 with means correcting for movement of or for synchronisation with the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22038 with a guide wire
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22059 transparent
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22085 light-absorbing A61B2017/22087 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22087 photodynamic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2261 with scattering, diffusion or dispersion of light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/306 using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/40 having five-membered rings with one nitrogen as the only ring hetero atom, e.g. sulpiride, succinimide, tolmetin, buflomedil
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/104 used for angioplasty
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/30 Against vector-borne diseases, e.g. mosquito-borne, fly-borne, tick-borne or waterborne diseases whose impact is exacerbated by climate change

Abstract

A method for the treatment of atherosclerosis in a mammal by destruction of atheromatous plaque is disclosed. The disclosed method includes injecting a hematoporphyrin into the mammal for selective uptake into the atheromatous plaque, and delivering light to the diseased vessel so that the light activates the hematoporphyrin for lysis of the plaque. The preferred method utilizes a balloon catheter equipped with flexible optical fibers for transmission of light from an external source for illumination of the interior of the inflated balloon. By inflation of the balloon, the opaque blood between the balloon and the atheromatous plaque is displaced to facilitate activation of the hematoporphyrin. The balloon may be illuminated and inflated and deflated in a cycle responsive to the patient'"'"'s pulse so as to minimize interference with blood flow.

Claims

1. A method for the treatment of atherosclerosis in a mammal by destruction of atheromatous plaque in a diseased blood vessel, said process comprising:

injecting a hematoporphyrin into the mammal to be treated for selective uptake into the atheromatous plaque;

inserting a light-emitting catheter into the diseased vessel so that the light-emitting portion of the catheter is adjacent the atheromatous plaque to be lysed; and

exposing the hematoporphyrin within said atheromatous plaque to light transmitted through the catheter for lysis of the plaque.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the catheter is a balloon catheter and wherein said method further comprises illuminating the balloon and inflating the balloon to displace the blood between the illuminated balloon and the atheromatous plaque to be lysed.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said injection is intravenous.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said source of said illumination is a dye laser.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said hematoporphyrin is an acetic acid-sulfuric acid derivative of hematoporphyrin.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein said balloon inflation is intermittent.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the balloon is intermittently inflated responsive to ECG-gating so as to minimize interference with blood flow.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the balloon is illuminated only when inflated.