Surgery – Means for introducing or removing material from body for... – With means for cutting – scarifying – or vibrating tissue
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-05
2001-04-03
Sykes, Angela D. (Department: 3762)
Surgery
Means for introducing or removing material from body for...
With means for cutting, scarifying, or vibrating tissue
C601S002000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06210356
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a catheter with an ultrasound assembly, and more particularly, to a catheter with an ultrasound assembly which reduces the exposure of at least one lumen within the catheter to ultrasound energy.
2. Description of Related Art
It is frequently desirable to use a catheter to deliver various media to treatment sites within the body. The delivered media frequently includes drugs, medicaments, microbubbles and other therapeutically beneficial compounds. For instance, catheters are frequently used to treat thrombi which have formed in the cardiovascular vessels of the body. These catheters are used to deliver solutions containing dissolution compounds directly to the thrombus. Many catheters include an ultrasound transducer for delivering ultrasound energy to media which has been delivered to the treatment site. The ultrasound energy in combination with the delivered media and/or the ultrasound energy can enhance the desired therapeutic effects.
The media are typically delivered to the treatment site through lumens in the catheter. These lumens frequently must pass near the ultrasound transducer. As a result, the media can be exposed to the ultrasound energy before the media is delivered to the treatment site. This exposure can reduce the therapeutic effect of the media. For instance, when the delivered media is microbubbles, the microbubbles can be burst within the lumen before the microbubbles are delivered. The therapeutic effect from microbubbles can be a result of the microbubbles bursting after delivery to the treatment site. Bursting the microbubbles before they are delivered to the treatment site can deprive the treatment site of this therapeutic effect.
Many catheters suitable for the delivery of media and microbubbles are frequently positioned within a patient using over he-guidewire placement techniques. When these techniques are used, it is frequently desirable to leave the guidewire within a catheter during the delivery of the media and the ultrasound energy. However, the presence of the guidewire within the catheter can alter the frequency of the ultrasound energy produced by the ultrasound transducer. As a result, the frequency of the ultrasound energy actually produced by the ultrasound transducer may be different than the desired frequency.
There is a need for a catheter including an ultrasound assembly which reduces the exposure of lumens within the catheter to ultrasound energy delivered from the ultrasound transducer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object for an embodiment of the invention is providing a catheter for delivering ultrasound energy to a treatment site within a vessel.
Another object for an embodiment of the invention is providing a catheter for delivering ultrasound energy and another media to a treatment site within a vessel.
Yet another object for an embodiment of the invention is providing a catheter for delivering ultrasound energy and media to a treatment site within a vessel while reducing the exposure of the media to the ultrasound energy while the media is transported through the catheter.
Yet another object for an embodiment of the invention is providing a catheter for delivering ultrasound energy to a treatment site within a vessel while reducing the effects of a guidewire positioned in a lumen of the catheter on the frequency of the ultrasound energy.
A further object for an embodiment of the invention is providing a catheter including an ultrasound transducer adjacent to a chamber which extends along the longitudinal length of the ultrasound transducer.
Yet further object for an embodiment of the invention is providing a catheter including an ultrasound transducer adjacent to a chamber which extends along the longitudinal length of the ultrasound transducer and is filled with a low acoustic impedance material.
An even further object for an embodiment of the invention is providing a catheter including an ultrasound transducer adjacent to an evacuated chamber which extends along the longitudinal length of the ultrasound transducer.
A catheter is disclosed. The catheter includes an elongated body with an exterior surface and an ultrasound transducer with a longitudinal length. A support member supports the ultrasound transducer at the exterior surface of the elongated body and defines a chamber adjacent to the exterior surface of the elongated body. The chamber reduces transmission of ultrasound energy from the ultrasound transducer into the elongated body along the longitudinal length of the ultrasound transducer.
Another embodiment of the catheter includes an elongated body with an exterior surface and an ultrasound transducer with a longitudinal length. A support member supports the ultrasound transducer at the exterior surface of the elongated body. The support member at least partially defines a chamber adjacent to the exterior surface of the elongated body. The chamber extends continuously along the longitudinal length of the ultrasound transducer.
Another embodiment of the catheter includes an elongated body with an exterior surface and at least partially defining a chamber adjacent to the exterior surface of the elongated body. An ultrasound transducer is positioned adjacent the chamber and a coating is adjacent an external surface of the ultrasound transducer. At least one temperature sensor is coupled with the coating.
Another embodiment of the catheter includes an elongated body defining at least a portion of a chamber and an ultrasound transducer positioned on an opposite side of the chamber from the elongated body. A balloon is coupled with the elongated body.
An ultrasound assembly for use with a catheter is also disclosed. The assembly includes an elongated body with an exterior surface and an ultrasound transducer with a longitudinal length. A support member supports the ultrasound transducer at the exterior surface of the elongated body and at least partially defines a chamber adjacent to the exterior surface of the elongated body. At least one assembly end is configured to be coupled with the catheter.
Another embodiment of the ultrasound assembly includes an elongated body with an exterior surface and an ultrasound transducer with a longitudinal length. A support member supports the ultrasound transducer at the exterior surface of the elongated body and at least partially defines a chamber adjacent to the exterior surface of the elongated body. The chamber extends continuously along the longitudinal length of the ultrasound transducer.
Yet another embodiment of the ultrasound assembly includes an elongated body defining at least a portion of a chamber and an ultrasound transducer positioned on an opposite side of the chamber from the elongated body. At least one assembly end is configured to be coupled with the catheter.
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Anderson James R.
Lichttenegger Gary
Bianco Patricia
Ekos Corporation
Sykes Angela D.
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
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