Ultrasound catheter and methods for making and using same

Abstract

Ultrasound catheter devices and methods provide enhanced disruption of blood vessel obstructions. Generally, ultrasound catheters include an elongate flexible catheter body with one or more lumens, an ultrasound transmission member extending longitudinally through the catheter body lumen and, in some embodiments, a guidewire tube extending through the lumen. A distal head for disrupting occlusions is coupled with the distal end of the ultrasound transmission member and is positioned adjacent the distal end of the catheter body. Some embodiments include improved features such as a bend in the catheter body for enhancing positioning and / or advancement of the catheter.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 345,078, entitled Ultrasound Catheter and Methods for Making and Using Same, filed on Jan. 14, 2003 which is related to pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 229,371, entitled “Ultrasound Catheter for Disrupting Blood Vessel Obstructions,” the full disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates generally to medical devices and methods. More specifically, the present invention relates to ultrasound catheter devices, methods for making the devices, and methods for using the devices to disrupt blood vessel occlusions.[0003]Catheters employing various types of ultrasound transmitting members have been successfully used to ablate or otherwise disrupt obstructions in blood vessels. Specifically, ablation of atherosclerotic plaque or thromboembolic obstructions from peripheral blood vessels su...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention provides ultrasound catheters and methods for disrupting blood vessel obstructions. The catheters have an elongate flexible body with a bend at the distal end, which can be positioned at a desired location and angle. The catheter has an ultrasound transmission member extending through the bend and a distal head for disrupting obstructions. The catheter can also have a guidewire tube that extends through the bend and is affixed to the distal head or the catheter body. The guidewire tube can be an over-the-wire tube, a rapid-exchange tube, a monorail tube, or any other suitable guidewire tube. The invention provides improved methods for making the ultrasound catheter and for sterilizing it using electron-beam radiation. The technical effects of the invention include enhanced disruption of blood vessel obstructions, improved ease of positioning and advancement of the catheter, and improved methods for making and sterilizing the catheter."

Problems solved by technology

First, it is inaccurate and does not always result in a bend at a desired location along the catheter or in a bend having a desired angle.

Second, because the user bends the catheter when the catheter is already assembled, with the transmission member already in place, a strain is placed on the transmission member by the bending process.

Even slight stresses placed on the transmission member by such a bending procedure may cause the transmission member to break prematurely, leading to a reduced usable life for the ultrasound catheter.

This susceptibility for premature breakage is compounded by the fact that currently available ultrasonic transmission wires typically break toward their distal ends, where the cross-sectional areas of the wires become smaller.

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