Radially-firing electrohydraulic lithotripsy probe
First Claim
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1. An invasive lithotripter probe comprising:
- a water-tight flexible encapsulating member encapsulating a liquid; and
a lithotripter tip positioned within the liquid encapsulated by the water-tight flexible encapsulating member, the lithotripter tip comprising;
a first electrode; and
a second electrode;
wherein the invasive lithotripter probe is dimensioned and configured to be threaded through a human vein or artery of a patient and delivered to a position within an interior of a small lumen of a body organ of the patient such that the water-tight flexible encapsulating member is positioned against the interior of the small lumen of the body organ of the patient; and
wherein the first and second electrodes are positioned on the lithotripter tip such that an electric arc between the ends of the first and second electrodes causes an annular shockwave within the liquid to radiate radially in a direction that is transverse from the longitudinal axis of the invasive lithotripter probe, such that while the invasive lithotripter probe is positioned within the interior of the small lumen of the body organ, the invasive lithotripter probe is configured to disturb tissue within the interior of the small lumen of the body organ that is positioned against the water-tight flexible encapsulating member in a location substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the invasive lithotripter probe.
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Abstract
Invasive side-firing electrohydraulic lithotripsy probes that creates a substantially annular shockwave to break up concretions are disclosed. Generally, the side-firing electrohydraulic lithotripsy probe includes a lithotripter tip including a first electrode and a second electrode. The first electrode is positioned at a distal end of the lithotripter tip and the second electrode is positioned in the lithotripter tip such that an end of the second electrode is coaxially aligned with an end of the first electrode. An electric arc between the first and second electrodes causes a shockwave to radiate radially from the lithotripter tip.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An invasive lithotripter probe comprising:
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a water-tight flexible encapsulating member encapsulating a liquid; and a lithotripter tip positioned within the liquid encapsulated by the water-tight flexible encapsulating member, the lithotripter tip comprising; a first electrode; and a second electrode; wherein the invasive lithotripter probe is dimensioned and configured to be threaded through a human vein or artery of a patient and delivered to a position within an interior of a small lumen of a body organ of the patient such that the water-tight flexible encapsulating member is positioned against the interior of the small lumen of the body organ of the patient; and wherein the first and second electrodes are positioned on the lithotripter tip such that an electric arc between the ends of the first and second electrodes causes an annular shockwave within the liquid to radiate radially in a direction that is transverse from the longitudinal axis of the invasive lithotripter probe, such that while the invasive lithotripter probe is positioned within the interior of the small lumen of the body organ, the invasive lithotripter probe is configured to disturb tissue within the interior of the small lumen of the body organ that is positioned against the water-tight flexible encapsulating member in a location substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the invasive lithotripter probe. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An invasive lithotripter probe system comprising:
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a water-tight flexible encapsulating member encapsulating a liquid; a lithotripter tip positioned within the liquid encapsulated by the water-tight water-tight flexible encapsulating member, the lithotripter tip and flexible encapsulating member dimensioned and configured to be threaded through a human vein or artery of a patient and delivered to a position within an interior of a human vein, artery, or lumen of a body organ such that the water-tight flexible encapsulating member is positioned against the interior of the human vein, artery, or lumen of a body organ, the lithotripter tip comprising; a first electrode; and a second electrode; and an electrical source configured to charge the first electrode to a first polarity; wherein the first and second electrodes are positioned on the lithotripter tip such that an electric arc between the ends of the first and second electrodes causes an annular shockwave within the liquid to radiate radially in a direction that is transverse from the longitudinal axis of the invasive lithotripter probe, such that while the lithotripter tip and the watertight flexible encapsulating member are positioned within the interior of the human vein, artery, or lumen of the body organ, the annular shockwave within the liquid causes the water-tight flexible encapsulating member to disturb tissue within the interior of the human vein, artery, or lumen of the body organ that is positioned against the water-tight flexible encapsulating member in a location substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the invasive lithotripter probe. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An invasive lithotripter probe comprising:
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a water-tight flexible encapsulating member encapsulating a liquid; and a lithotripter tip positioned within the liquid encapsulated by the water-tight flexible encapsulating member, the lithotripter tip comprising; a first electrode; and a second electrode; wherein the lithotripter tip and the body organ flexible encapsulating member are dimensioned and configured to be threaded through a human vein or artery of a patient and delivered to a position within an interior of a human vein, artery, or lumen of a body organ such that the water-tight flexible encapsulating member is positioned against concretions within the interior of the human vein, artery, or lumen of the body organ; wherein the first and second electrodes are positioned on the lithotripter tip such that an electric arc between the ends of the first and second electrodes causes an annular shockwave within the liquid to radiate radially in a direction that is transverse from the longitudinal axis of the invasive lithotripter probe, such that while the lithotripter tip and the watertight flexible encapsulating member are positioned within the interior of the human vein, artery, or lumen of the body organ, the annular shockwave within the liquid causes the water-tight flexible encapsulating member to disturb concretions within the interior of the human vein, artery, or lumen of the body organ that are positioned against the water-tight flexible encapsulating member in a location substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the invasive lithotripter probe.
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Specification