Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7384407?dq=12/011,425
Timestamp: 2016-12-08 22:44:30
Document Index: 107622401

Matched Legal Cases: ['§119', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60']

Patent US7384407 - Small vessel ultrasound catheter - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inPatentsAn ultrasound catheter adapted for accessing small vessels in the distal anatomy is disclosed. The ultrasound catheter comprises an elongate tubular body formed with a delivery lumen. The flexibility and dimensions of the tubular body allow access to the distal anatomy by advancement over the guidewire....http://www.google.com/patents/US7384407?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7384407 - Small vessel ultrasound catheterAdvanced Patent SearchTry the new Google Patents, with machine-classified Google Scholar results, and Japanese and South Korean patents.Publication numberUS7384407 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 10/309,417Publication dateJun 10, 2008Filing dateDec 3, 2002Priority dateDec 3, 2001Fee statusPaidAlso published asCA2468835A1, DE60213457D1, DE60213457T2, EP1450900A1, EP1450900B1, US20040049148, US20080221506, WO2003047696A1Publication number10309417, 309417, US 7384407 B2, US 7384407B2, US-B2-7384407, US7384407 B2, US7384407B2InventorsOscar Rodriguez, Curtis Genstler, Tim Abrahamson, Wm. Gerrit Barrere, Frederick J. Bennett, George Keilman, Richard R. Wilson, Perry Todd ThompsonOriginal AssigneeEkos CorporationExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (105), Non-Patent Citations (4), Referenced by (47), Classifications (10), Legal Events (6) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetSmall vessel ultrasound catheter
US 7384407 B2Abstract
an elongate tubular body with an exterior surface, wherein a distal end portion of said tubular body has an outer diameter of less than about 5 French for advancement through a small blood vessel, said tubular body defining a delivery lumen extending longitudinally therethrough and terminating in an exit port at a distal tip;
a hypotube configured to be slidably received within said delivery lumen;
a hollow cylindrical ultrasound radiating crystal coupled to a distal end portion of said hypotube, wherein said hypotube is positioned through the hollow cylindrical ultrasound radiating crystal, and wherein said hypotube is advanceable through said delivery lumen in said tubular body and out through said exit port for placement of said ultrasound radiating crystal at a treatment site;
a potting material that covers at least a portion of (a) a radial surface of the ultrasound radiating crystal and (b) an end surface of the ultrasound radiating crystal, thereby forming a potted ultrasound radiating crystal; and
a pair of wires extending longitudinally through an inner lumen in said hypotube for providing an electrical signal to said ultrasound radiating crystal.
2. The catheter of claim 1, further comprising a flexible nose coupled to said distal end portion of said hypotube.
3. The catheter of claim 2, wherein said flexible nose comprises a soft metal coil.
4. The catheter of claim 1, further comprising an adhesive material that couples said ultrasound radiating crystal to said distal end portion of said hypotube.
5. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the potting material forms a conformal coating over the ultrasound radiating crystal.
the ultrasound radiating crystal is positioned outside the delivery lumen; and
the delivery lumen exit port is configured such that the ultrasound radiating crystal cannot be withdrawn into the delivery lumen.
The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/336,660, filed Dec. 3, 2001, U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/336,627, filed Dec. 3, 2001, U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/336,571, filed Dec. 3, 2001, U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/336,630, filed Dec. 3, 2001 and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/344,422, filed Dec. 28, 2001, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Several therapeutic and diagnostic applications use ultrasound energy. For example, ultrasound energy can be used to enhance the delivery and therapeutic effect of various therapeutic compounds. See e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,821,740, 4,953,565 and 5,007,438. In some applications, it is desirable to use an ultrasound catheter to deliver the ultrasound energy and/or therapeutic compound to a specific treatment site in the body. Such an ultrasound catheter typically comprises an elongate member configured for advancement through a patient's vasculature. An ultrasound assembly is mounted along the distal end portion of the elongate member and is adapted for emitting ultrasound energy. The ultrasound catheter may include a delivery lumen for delivering the therapeutic compound to the treatment site. In this manner, the ultrasound energy can be emitted at the treatment site to enhance the desired therapeutic effects and/or delivery of the therapeutic compound.
In one particular application, ultrasound catheters have been successfully used to treat human blood vessels that have become occluded by plaque, thrombi, emboli or other substances that reduce the blood carrying capacity of the vessel. See e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,001,069. To remove the blockage, the ultrasound catheter is advanced through the patient's vasculature to deliver solutions containing dissolution compounds directly to the blockage site. To enhance the therapeutic effects of the dissolution compound, ultrasound energy is emitted into the compound and/or the surrounding tissue.
In another application, ultrasound catheters may be used to perform gene therapy on an isolated region of a blood vessel or other body lumen. For example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,976 an ultrasound catheter can be provided with one or more expandable members for occluding a section of the body lumen at a treatment site. A gene therapy composition is delivered to the treatment site through the delivery lumen of the catheter. The ultrasound assembly is used to emit ultrasound energy at the treatment site to enhance the entry of the gene composition into the cells in the body lumen.
In addition to the applications discussed above, ultrasound catheters may be used for a wide variety of other purposes, such as, for example, delivering and activating light activated drugs with ultrasound energy (see e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,842).
There is provided in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus adapted for delivering ultrasound energy within small blood vessels. The apparatus comprises an elongate outer sheath having dimensions that allow access to the distal anatomy, including but not limited to neurovascular and other small vessels. An elongate inner core extends through a central lumen along the entire length of the catheter and terminates at an exit port. The inner core is provided with a delivery lumen sized for advancement over the guidewire. The delivery lumen may also be used to deliver a drug solution through the exit port to a treatment site. An ultrasound radiating member is provided along the distal end portion of the inner core at a location distal to the outer sheath. A sleeve may be provided over the ultrasound radiating member.
In one aspect, a flexible joint is provided at a location proximal to the ultrasound radiating member to facilitate advancement of the catheter through a patient's vasculature. In one embodiment, the flexible joint is formed by configuring the inner core with a corrugated region having a reduced bending resistance. In another embodiment, the flexible joint is provided by a braided portion that is used to connect the outer sheath with the sleeve.
In another aspect, a soft tip assembly is provided for reducing trauma or damage to tissue along the inner wall of a blood vessel. The soft tip assembly may be attached to the distal end of the catheter using a sleeve. The soft tip assembly preferably has a rounded tip.
In another aspect, the catheter is provided with a shapeable wire along the distal end portion for pre-shaping the distal end portion of the catheter. Pre-shaping the distal end portion facilitates advancement over curves in the guidewire. The shapeable wire may be tapered.
In another aspect, a stiffening member is provided along the exit port at the distal tip of the catheter. The stiffening member reduces the likelihood of “fish-mouthing” and may be used in cooperation with the guidewire to provide a flow control valve.
In another aspect, an ultrasound radiating member is attached to or mounted on the guidewire. The guidewire is slidably received by a delivery lumen in an outer sheath for advancement of the ultrasound radiating member to a desired treatment site. In this embodiment, the positions of the outer sheath and the ultrasound radiating member are independently adjustable.
In yet another aspect, an elongate tubular body is provided with an exterior surface, wherein a distal end portion of the tubular body has an outer diameter of less than about 5 French for advancement through a small blood vessel. The tubular body defines a delivery lumen extending longitudinally therethrough and terminates at an exit port at a distal tip. A hypotube is configured to be slidably received within the delivery lumen and an ultrasound radiating member is coupled to a distal end portion of the hypotube. The hypotube is advanceable through the delivery lumen in the tubular body and out through the exit port for placement of the ultrasound radiating member at a treatment site. A pair of wires extends longitudinally through an inner lumen in the hypotube for providing an electrical signal to the ultrasound radiating member.
In yet another aspect, a method of treating a small blood vessel is provided. The method generally includes providing a first guidewire, an elongate tubular body, and a second guidewire having an ultrasound radiating member disposed along a distal end. The first guidewire is advanced through the patient's vasculature to a treatment site. The elongate tubular body (e.g., an outer sheath) is advanced over the first guidewire to the treatment site. The first guidewire is removed from the patient's vasculature. The second guidewire is advanced through a lumen of the elongate tubular body such that the ultrasound radiating member is located within a distal end portion of the elongate tubular body and ultrasound energy is emitted from the ultrasound radiating member at the treatment site.
Ultrasound catheters and methods disclosed herein, and similar variations thereof, may also be useful for applications wherein the ultrasound energy provides a therapeutic effect by itself. For example, ultrasound energy may be effective for uses such as preventing and/or reducing stenosis and/or restenosis, tissue ablation, abrasion or disruption, promoting temporary or permanent physiological changes in intracellular or intercellular structures, or rupturing micro-balloons or micro-bubbles for drug delivery. See e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,269,291 and 5,431,663. In addition, the methods and devices disclosed herein may also find utility in applications that do not require the use of a catheter. For example the methods and devices may be used for enhancing hyperthermic drug treatment or using an external ultrasound source to enhance the therapeutic effects of drugs, medication and other pharmacological agents at a specific site within the body or to provide a therapuetic or diagnostic effect by itself. See e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,821,740, 4,953,565, 5,007,438 and 6,096,000. The entire disclosure of each of the above-mentioned patents is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification.
While the foregoing detailed description has described several embodiments of the apparatus and methods of the present invention, it is to be understood that the above description is illustrative only and is not limiting of the disclosed invention. It will be appreciated that the specific dimensions and configurations can differ from those described above, and that the methods described can be used within any biological conduit within the body and remain within the scope of the present invention. Thus, the invention is to be limited only by the claims that follow.
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