Endoluminal implant with therapeutic and diagnostic capability
First Claim
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1. An apparatus configured to be implanted in a lumen having a passageway, the apparatus comprising:
- an endoluminal implant adapted to be implanted within the passageway; and
a transducer coupled to said endoluminal implant.
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Abstract
An apparatus includes an endoluminal implant, a RF coupling coil coupled to the endoluminal implant and a therapeutic transducer electrically coupled to the RF coupling coil and physically coupled to the endoluminal implant. The RF coupling coil supplies electrical power to the therapeutic transducer. The therapeutic transducer has a capability for delivering therapeutic energy to a lumen disposed within the endoluminal implant in response to signals coupled via the RF coupling coil.
746 Citations
46 Claims
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1. An apparatus configured to be implanted in a lumen having a passageway, the apparatus comprising:
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an endoluminal implant adapted to be implanted within the passageway; and
a transducer coupled to said endoluminal implant. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
said endoluminal implant comprises a stent; and
said RF coupling coil comprises a woven mesh of wire integrated into a wall of said stent.
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10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said woven mesh of wire comprises:
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a first set of coils of insulated wire each forming a right-handed spiral; and
a second set of coils of insulated wire each forming a left-handed spiral, said second set of coils interwoven with said first set of coils, wherein said first set of coils and said second set of coils are electrically coupled in series in a daisy-chain configuration.
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11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said woven mesh of wire comprises:
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a first set of coils of insulated wire each forming a right-handed spiral, each of said coils of said first set of coils having a first end and a second end, wherein said first ends are electrically coupled to each other and said second ends are coupled to each other; and
a second set of coils of insulated wire each forming a left-handed spiral, said first and second sets of coils interwoven with each other to form said woven mesh, each of said coils of said second set of coils having a first end and a second end, wherein said first ends of said second set of coils are electrically coupled to each other and said second ends of said second set of coils are coupled to each other, said first and second sets of coils being electrically coupled to each other and to said transducer.
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12. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said therapeutic transducer includes a regular solid comprising piezoelectric material, wherein a first resonance frequency is determined by a first dimension of said regular solid and a second resonance frequency is determined by a second dimension of said regular solid, said regular solid including a first electrode coupled to a first surface of said regular solid and a second electrode coupled to a second surface of said regular solid.
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13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising an acoustic isolator disposed on said first electrode and on a sidewall of said regular solid and wherein said first dimension is approximately twice said second dimension.
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14. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said therapeutic transducer comprises:
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an ultrasonic transducer having an acoustic radiating surface, wherein a first electrode and a second electrode are coupled to said ultrasonic transducer, said ultrasonic transducer coupled to a first wall of said endoluminal implant; and
an acoustic reflector coupled to a second wall of said endoluminal implant, said acoustic reflector being maintained in alignment with and facing said acoustic radiating surface of said ultrasonic transducer by said endoluminal implant.
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15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said acoustic reflector comprises a magnet.
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16. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said therapeutic transducer comprises:
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a first ultrasonic transducer having an acoustic radiating surface, wherein a first electrode and a second electrode are coupled to said first ultrasonic transducer, said first ultrasonic transducer coupled to a first wall of said endoluminal implant; and
a second ultrasonic transducer having an acoustic radiating surface, wherein a first electrode and a second electrode are coupled to said second ultrasonic transducer, said second ultrasonic transducer being coupled to a second wall of said endoluminal implant such that said acoustic radiating surface of said first ultrasonic transducer is aligned with and facing said acoustic radiating surface of said second ultrasonic transducer.
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17. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:
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a RF coupling coil integrated into a wall of said endoluminal implant;
an implantable electronic circuit, said implantable electronic circuit including a RF-to-DC power supply circuit coupled to said RF coupling coil, whereby RF energy coupled into said RF coupling coil may be converted to DC power, and whereby RF coded information may be exchanged between said RF coupling coil; and
said implantable electronic circuit.
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18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said implantable electronic circuit also includes:
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RF decoding circuitry and a multiplexer, said RF decoding circuitry coupled to said RF coupling coil, whereby said multiplexer may supply signals from said implantable electronic circuit to said therapeutic transducer; and
a second transducer coupled to said endoluminal implant wherein said first and second transducers are coupled to said implantable electronic circuit and comprise ultrasonic transducers configured to provide first and second acoustic waves in a space between said first and second transducers in response to signals from said implantable electronic circuit.
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19. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a diagnostic transducer coupled to said endoluminal implant.
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20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said diagnostic transducer provides signals indicative of a parameter describing a fluid flowing through said endoluminal implant, wherein said parameter is chosen from a list comprising:
- fluid flow, pressure, temperature and biochemical properties.
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21. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said therapeutic transducer includes a therapeutic transducer chosen from a group comprising:
- ultrasonic transducers, optical transducers, magnetic transducers, resistive heating transducers and iontophoretic transducers.
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22. An apparatus configured to be implanted in a lumen having a passageway, the apparatus comprising:
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an endoluminal implant adapted to be implanted within the passageway;
a RF coupling coil coupled to said endoluminal implant;
an implantable electronic circuit electrically coupled to said RF coupling coil and physically coupled to said endoluminal implant, said RF coupling coil for supplying electrical power to said implantable electronic circuit and for coupling control and data signals to and from said implantable electronic circuit; and
a therapeutic transducer electrically coupled to said implantable electronic circuit, said therapeutic transducer for delivering therapeutic energy to a lumen disposed within said endoluminal implant in response to said control signals. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
a first ultrasonic transducer having an acoustic radiating surface, a first electrode and a second electrode each coupled to said first ultrasonic transducer, said first ultrasonic transducer coupled to a first wall of said endoluminal implant; and
a second ultrasonic transducer having an acoustic radiating surface, a first electrode and a second electrode each coupled to said second ultrasonic transducer, said second ultrasonic transducer being coupled to a second wall of said endoluminal implant such that said acoustic radiating surface of said first ultrasonic transducer is aligned with and facing said acoustic radiating surface of said second ultrasonic transducer.
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38. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said therapeutic transducer comprises:
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an ultrasonic transducer having an acoustic radiating surface, a first electrode and a second electrode each coupled to said ultrasonic transducer, said ultrasonic transducer coupled to a first wall of said endoluminal implant; and
an acoustic reflector coupled to a second wall of said endoluminal implant, said acoustic reflector being maintained in alignment with and facing said acoustic radiating surface of said ultrasonic transducer.
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39. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said acoustic reflector comprises a magnet.
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40. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said therapeutic transducer comprises an ultrasonic transducer capable of providing collinear acoustic waves at a first frequency and a second frequency.
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41. An apparatus configured to be or implanted in a lumen having a passageway, the apparatus comprising:
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an endoluminal implant adapted to be implanted within the passageway; and
a RF coupling coil integrated in a wall of said endoluminal implant. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
an implantable electronic circuit coupled to said RF coupling coil, said implantable electronic circuit exchanging data, power and control signals with said RF coupling coil; and
a therapeutic transducer electrically coupled to said implantable electronic circuit and mechanically coupled to said endoluminal implant, said therapeutic transducer supplying energy to a lumen of said endoluminal implant in response to signals from said implantable electronic circuit.
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45. The apparatus of claim 44, further comprising an implantable IC sensor physically coupled to said endoluminal implant and electrically coupled to said implantable electronic circuit.
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46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein said implantable IC sensor provides electrical signals to said implantable electronic circuit that are indicative of a diagnostic parameter associated with a fluid flowing through said lumen, wherein said diagnostic parameter is chosen from a group comprising:
- fluid flow, pressure, temperature and biochemical information.
Specification