Catheter for plaque stablisation

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a catheter for plaque stabilisation by cryotherapy, the catheter comprising: a first tube with a first end for receiving a flow of a coolant and a second end for supplying the flow of the coolant to a cooling element; a second tube, with a first end and a second end, wherein the second end of the second tube is configured to receive a flow of the coolant from the cooling element such that the second tube provides a flow path of the coolant from the second end of the second tube to the first end of the second tube; an inflatable flexible heat transfer element on the outer surface of the catheter; and a conduit for supplying an inflation fluid for inflating the flexible heat transfer element, wherein, when the flexible heat transfer element is inflated by the inflation fluid, the cooling element is configured to be within the balloon and in thermal conductivity with the inflation fluid; wherein the cooling element comprises an elongate tubular wall defining an elongate cooling chamber therein, the cooling chamber has a first end that is in fluid communication with the second end of the second tube and the cooling chamber has a second end that is closed.

Description

Background technique [0001] Cryotherapy has been used in the cardiovascular system since the late 1970s, for example since 1977 when it was used in surgery to treat cardiac arrhythmias. Over the next few years, it became widely recognized that cryotherapy is particularly beneficial for working in the heart. Its safety and efficacy are exceptional because surgeons are able to ablate delicate cardiac structures such as the atrioventricular node (A-Vnode), pulmonary veins, and atrial tissue around delicate nodules without concern for thrombosis, perforation or other adverse events. [0002] Recently, researchers have begun to investigate the use of cryotherapy in the vascular system as a treatment for calcified plaque. Clinical data published by Laird et al. "Cryoplasty for the Treatment of Femoropopliteal Arterial Disease: Extended Follow-up Results" JENDOVASCTHE 2006; 13 (Suppl II): II-52-II-59 have shown that cryotherapy achieves superior results when used in highly stenotic...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

The increase in volume and diameter makes the double balloon design more difficult to develop a clinically acceptable design for small diameter arteries where the catheter would be difficult to maneuver, such as coronary vascular structures or smaller peripheral vascular structures

Images