Patent ID: 11944342
Assignee: AVINGER, INC.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. A method of performing atherectomy, comprising:
inserting an atherectomy device into a vessel of a patient;
gathering optical coherence tomography (OCT) images using an imaging sensor on the device;
identifying an external elastic lamina (EEL) of a wall of the vessel in the OCT images;
orienting a cutter of the atherectomy device away from the EEL based upon the identifications;
adjusting a depth of cut based upon the identification; and
removing plaque from the wall of the vessel with the cutter while the cutter is oriented away from the EEL;
wherein the device further includes a balloon configured to inflate or deflate to expose or cover the cutter, and wherein moving the cutter from an active mode to a passive mode comprises at least partially deflating the balloon.