Patent ID: 7341569

Claim:
A method of treating a vascular occlusion located at a treatment site within a patient's vasculature, the method comprising: passing an ultrasound catheter through the patient's vasculature to the treatment site, wherein the ultrasound catheter includes at least one fluid delivery port; positioning the ultrasound catheter at the treatment site in a first location, such that the at least one fluid delivery port is positioned within the occlusion; infusing a microbubble therapeutic compound from the ultrasound catheter into an internal portion of the occlusion without applying ultrasound energy to the site; pausing the infusion of the microbubble therapeutic compound; while the infusion of the microbubble therapeutic compound remains paused, delivering ultrasonic energy from the first location of the ultrasound catheter to the microbubble therapeutic compound infused into the occlusion; repositioning the ultrasound catheter in a second location at the treatment site; and infusing the microbubble therapeutic compound from the second location of the ultrasound catheter into an internal portion of the occlusion.