Ultrasound catheter having protective feature against breakage

• US 8,496,669 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2007
• Issued: 07/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flowcardia Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Flowcardia Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Nita, Henry, Nguyen, Simon
• Primary Examiner(s): Severson, Ryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TIN DUC
• Application Number:
  US12/004,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20080108902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,048 Days
• Field of Search: 606/128, 606/159, 606/912, 606167-171, 606/45, 604/22, 604/103.1, 601/2, 600/467, 600/436, 600/466, 600/529, 600/468, 600/4, 600/461, 600/104, 600/437
• US Class Current: 606/128
• 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 2017/22014 the ultrasound transducer being outside patient's body; with an ultrasound transmission member; with a wave guide; with a vibrated guide wire not applied in A61B17/22012
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22038 with a guide wire
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22039 eccentric
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0068 Static characteristics of the catheter tip, e.g. shape, atraumatic tip, curved tip or tip structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0069 Tip not integral with tube
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0082 Catheter tip comprising a tool

Abstract

An ultrasound catheter has an elongate flexible catheter body having a lumen extending longitudinally therethrough, and an ultrasound transmission member extending longitudinally through the lumen of the catheter body. The ultrasound transmission member has a proximal end that is coupled to a separate ultrasound generating device, and a distal tip that is attached to the distal end of the ultrasound transmission member and which is located at the distal end of the catheter body. The ultrasound transmission member is directly attached to the catheter body and/or to a guidewire tube either directly or via an attachment device. The catheter has an additional radiopaque marker positioned on the distal end the catheter.

Claims

1. An ultrasound catheter, comprising:

an elongate flexible catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen extending longitudinally therethrough;

an ultrasound transmission member extending longitudinally through the lumen of the catheter body, the ultrasound transmission member having a proximal end that is coupled to a separate ultrasound generating device;

a tip having a proximal end and a distal end, the tip being positioned at the distal end of the catheter body and secured to a distal end of the ultrasound transmission member; and

a guidewire tube extending at least partially through the lumen of the catheter body, the guidewire tube being directly connected to the ultrasound transmission member via an attachment member and an adhesive at least at a location that is spaced from the tip, the guidewire tube having a lumen configured to receive a guidewire,

wherein the ultrasound transmission member is disposed entirely outside the lumen of the guidewire tube.

2. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the guidewire tube is attached to the tip.

3. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the attachment member is an intermediate member.

4. The catheter of claim 3, wherein the intermediate member is made of polymer.

5. The catheter of claim 3, wherein the intermediate member has a tubular configuration.

6. The catheter of claim 3, wherein the intermediate member is attached to the ultrasound transmission member, the guidewire tube and the catheter body.

7. The catheter of claim 1, further including a fluid outlet port positioned at the distal end of the catheter and communicating with the lumen.

8. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound transmission member is irremovably connected to the guidewire tube.

9. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound transmission member is further attached to the catheter body.

10. An ultrasound catheter comprising:

an elongate flexible catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen extending longitudinally therethrough;

an ultrasound transmission member extending longitudinally through the lumen of the catheter body, the ultrasound transmission member having a proximal end that is coupled to a separate ultrasound generating device;

a tip having a proximal end and a distal end, the tip being positioned on the distal end of the catheter body and secured to a distal end of the ultrasound transmission member;

a guidewire tube extending at least partially through the lumen of the catheter body, the guidewire tube being directly connected to the ultrasound transmission member via an attachment member and an adhesive at least at a location that is spaced from the tip; and

a radiopaque marker located on a distal end of the catheter.

11. The catheter of claim 10, wherein the radiopaque marker has a tubular configuration.

12. The catheter of claim 10, wherein the radiopaque marker is located on the catheter body.

13. The catheter of claim 10, wherein the radiopaque marker is located inside the catheter body.

14. The catheter of claim 13, wherein the radiopaque marker is located on the guidewire tube.

15. The catheter of claim 10, wherein the radiopaque marker is located on the ultrasound transmission member.

16. The catheter of claim 15, wherein the radiopaque marker is attached to the catheter body.

17. The catheter of claim 10, wherein the tip comprises a shape memory alloy.

18. The catheter of claim 17, wherein a material of the radiopaque marker is gold.

19. The catheter of claim 17, wherein a material of the radiopaque marker is platinum.