Ultrasound catheter

• US 7,914,509 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2007
• Issued: 03/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EKOS Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: EKOS Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Rodriguey, James E., Bennett, Frederick J., Lichttenegger, Gary, Zhang, John, Tachibana, Katsuro
• Primary Examiner(s): Stigell; Theodore J
• Application Number:
  US11/707,189
• Publication Number:
  US 20070149917A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,503 Days
• Field of Search: 604 20- 22, 604/500, 604/501, 604/508, 604/510
• US Class Current: 604/500
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22012 in direct contact with, or very close to, the obstruction or concrement for removing obstructions in blood vessels by laser A61B18/245
• 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 2017/00526 Methods of manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22021 electric leads passing through the catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22042 Details of the tip of the guide wire
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22062 to be filled with liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22082 after introduction of a substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22084 stone- or thrombus-dissolving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22088 ultrasound absorbing, drug activated by ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320084 Irrigation sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00011 with fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 41/0047 Sonopheresis, i.e. ultrasonically-enhanced transdermal delivery, electroporation of a pharmacologically active agent
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0057 Catheters delivering medicament other than through a conventional lumen, e.g. porous walls or hydrogel coatings
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/058 with ultrasound therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0009 Making of catheters or other medical or surgical tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/007 Side holes, e.g. their profiles or arrangements; Provisions to keep side holes unblocked
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/0092 using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic vibrations, e.g. phonophoresis
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0674 and a low impedance backing, e.g. air
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0677 and a high impedance backing
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 2201/76 Medical, dental
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/004 : Mounting transducers, e.g. provided with mechanical moving or orienting device mountings specially adapted to a particular sound-producing device, see the preceding groups G10K1/00 - G10K9/00, e.g. G10K1/26, G10K1/28, G10K9/22; arrangements of sonic watch equipment on submarines B63G8/39; buoys B63B22/00
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/02 : Mechanical acoustic impedances; Impedance matching, e.g. by horns; Acoustic resonators
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/162 : Selection of materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 : Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor

Abstract

The invention relates to a catheter system. The system comprises a catheter body having a chamber containing a low acoustic impedance medium. The catheter body includes an elongated body with an external surface and an ultrasound transducer having an external side between a first end and a second end. The ultrasound transducer is positioned over the external surface of the elongated body such that the first end is adjacent to the chamber.

Claims

1. A method of delivering ultrasound energy and a drug solution to a treatment site, the method comprising:

positioning a guidewire through a clot at the treatment site;

advancing a sheath over the guidewire, such that at least a portion of the guidewire is positioned within a utility lumen defined by the sheath, wherein the sheath includes a drug delivery lumen having drug delivery ports;

removing the guidewire from the utility lumen;

passing a catheter through the utility lumen, the catheter including an ultrasound transducer;

delivering the drug solution to the treatment site through the drug delivery lumen and drug delivery ports;

delivering ultrasonic energy to the treatment site from the ultrasound transducer through the sheath; and

moving the ultrasound transducer within the sheath while the ultrasonic energy is being delivered to the treatment site.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sheath is advanced through the clot.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising sensing a temperature at the treatment site during delivery of the ultrasound energy.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the drug solution is a clot dissolution compound.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the drug solution is delivered with a substantially even flow through a plurality of drug delivery ports formed in the drug delivery lumen.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the catheter includes the ultrasound transducers; and

the ultrasonic energy is delivered to the treatment site from the plurality of ultrasound transducers.