Medical acoustic imaging catheter and guidewire
First Claim
1. An ultrasound imaging device comprising a stationary, elongated flexible tubular body, a rotatable drive shaft extending through said body, and a nose member at least a portion of which is located entirely distally of said entire stationary tubular body, said nose member being mounted on the distal end of said drive shaft to rotate therewith relative to said stationary tubular body, said nose member being of rounded atraumatic form, being sized at its proximal end to substantially match the diameter of said body, and having an acoustic imaging instrument incorporated in said nose member for producing acoustic images of adjacent tissue as said drive shaft turns, said acoustic imaging instrument being located entirely distally of said entire stationary tubular body, there being an axial passage within said body for fluid flow from a proximal entry port to at least one fluid delivery port located distally of said entry port.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An ultrasound imaging device and method employing it featuring a stationary, elongated flexible tubular body, a rotatable drive shaft extending through the body, and a nose member located distally of the tubular body, the nose member mounted on the distal end of the drive shaft to rotate therewith, the nose member being of rounded atraumatic form, sized at its proximal end to substantially match the diameter of the body and an acoustic imaging transducer incorporated in the nose member for producing acoustic images of adjacent tissue as the drive shaft turns, there being an axial passage within the body for fluid flow from a proximal entry port to at least one fluid delivery port located distally of the entry port.
233 Citations
25 Claims
- 1. An ultrasound imaging device comprising a stationary, elongated flexible tubular body, a rotatable drive shaft extending through said body, and a nose member at least a portion of which is located entirely distally of said entire stationary tubular body, said nose member being mounted on the distal end of said drive shaft to rotate therewith relative to said stationary tubular body, said nose member being of rounded atraumatic form, being sized at its proximal end to substantially match the diameter of said body, and having an acoustic imaging instrument incorporated in said nose member for producing acoustic images of adjacent tissue as said drive shaft turns, said acoustic imaging instrument being located entirely distally of said entire stationary tubular body, there being an axial passage within said body for fluid flow from a proximal entry port to at least one fluid delivery port located distally of said entry port.
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10. An ultrasound imaging device comprising a stationary, elongated flexible tubular body, a rotatable drive shaft extending through said body, and a nose member located distally of said tubular body, said nose member mounted on the distal end of said drive shaft to rotate therewith, said nose member being of rounded atraumatic form, sized at its proximal end to substantially match the diameter of said body and an acoustic imaging transducer incorporated in said nose member for producing acoustic images of adjacent tissue as said drive shaft turns, there being an axial passage within said body for fluid flow from a proximal entry port to at least one fluid delivery port located distally of said entry port,
wherein an end bearing is disposed between said nose member and the distal end of the stationary tubular body, there being at least one fluid delivery passage extending through said end bearing from said axial passage to said delivery port, and wherein said bearing comprises a hub portion and an end flange portion, there being at least one axial passage along said hub portion and at least one intersecting radial passage in said end flange portion terminating at said delivery port.
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11. A method of imaging comprising
providing an ultrasound imaging device comprising a stationary, elongated flexible tubular body, a rotatable drive shaft extending through said body, and a nose member at least a portion of which is located entirely distally of said entire stationary tubular body, said nose member being mounted on the distal end of said drive shaft to rotate therewith relative to said stationary tubular body, said nose member being of rounded atraumatic form, being sized at its proximal end to substantially match the diameter of said body, and having an acoustic imaging instrument incorporated in said nose member for producing acoustic images of adjacent tissue as said drive shaft turns, said acoustic imaging instrument being located entirely distally of said entire stationary tubular body, there being an axial passage within said body for fluid flow from a proximal entry port to at least one fluid delivery port located distally of said entry port, inserting a distal nose of the device and a major part of the length of the body into a patient, rotating the acoustic imaging instrument at imaging speed while energizing said acoustic imaging instrument at imaging frequency, producing an image from the return signal for viewing, and employing said fluid passage and delivery port to deliver fluid to regions accessed by said device.
- 13. An ultrasound imaging device comprising a stationary, elongated flexible tubular body, a rotatable drive shaft extending through said body, and a nose member at least a portion of which is located entirely distally of said entire stationary tubular body, said nose member being mounted on the distal end of said drive shaft to rotate therewith relative to said stationary tubular body, said nose member being of rounded atraumatic form, being sized at its proximal end to substantially match the diameter of said body, and having an acoustic imaging instrument incorporated in said nose member for producing acoustic images of adjacent tissue as said drive shaft turns, said acoustic imaging instrument being located entirely distally of said entire stationary tubular body, said acoustic imaging instrument lying substantially at the surface of said nose member.
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22. A method of imaging comprising providing an ultrasound imaging device comprising a stationary, elongated flexible tubular body, a rotatable drive shaft extending through said body, and a nose member at least a portion of which is located entirely distally of said entire stationary tubular body, said nose member being mounted on the distal end of said drive shaft to rotate therewith relative to said stationary tubular body, said nose member being of rounded atraumatic form, being sized at its proximal end to substantially match the diameter of said body, and having an acoustic imaging instrument incorporated in said nose member for producing acoustic images of adjacent tissue as said drive shaft turns, said acoustic imaging instrument being located entirely distally of said entire stationary tubular body, said acoustic imaging instrument lying substantially at the surface of said nose member,
inserting a distal nose of the device and a major part of the length of the body into a patient, rotating the acoustic imaging instrument at imaging speed while energizing said acoustic imaging instrument at imaging frequency, and producing an image from the return signal for viewing.
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24. An ultrasound imaging intravascular catheter comprising a stationary, elongated flexible tubular catheter body sized for use within a blood vessel, a rotatable drive shaft extending through said catheter body, and a nose member at least a portion of which is located entirely distally of said entire stationary tubular catheter body, said nose member being mounted on the distal end of said drive shaft to rotate therewith relative to said stationary tubular catheter body, said nose member being of rounded atraumatic form, being sized at its proximal end to substantially match the diameter of said catheter body, and having an acoustic imaging instrument incorporated in said nose member for producing acoustic images of adjacent tissue as said drive shaft turns, said acoustic imaging instrument being located entirely distally of said entire stationary tubular catheter body, said acoustic imaging instrument lying substantially at the surface of said nose member.
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25. An ultrasound imaging intravascular guidewire comprising a stationary, elongated flexible tubular body having dimensions suitable for use of said tubular body as an intravascular guidewire, a rotatable drive shaft extending through said body, and a nose member at least a portion of which is located entirely distally of said entire stationary tubular body, said nose member being mounted on the distal end of said drive shaft to rotate therewith relative to said stationary tubular body, said nose member being of rounded atraumatic form, being sized at its proximal end to substantially match the diameter of said body, and having an acoustic imaging instrument incorporated in said nose member for producing acoustic images of adjacent tissue as said drive shaft turns, said acoustic imaging instrument being located entirely distally of said entire stationary tubular body, said acoustic imaging instrument lying substantially at the surface of said nose member.
Specification