Patent · US Expired

Intravascular ultrasonic angioplasty probe

US5069664A · kind A · utility

252Cited by
24References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 25, 1990
Grant dateDec 3, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 25, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61B2217/005
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A probe for ultrasonically removing unwanted biological material, for example, from a vessel in a patient's cardiovascular system, includes a catheter assembly having distal and proximal catheter sections, each defining a respective lumen. A subassembly is connected to and between these catheter sections and houses piezoceramic transducer elements which are adapted to vibrate at ultrasonic frequencies. An elongate flexible working element (e.g., one or more wire elements) is housed within the distal catheter section and projects beyond that section's distal end so as to be adapted to contact unwanted biological material. The proximal end of the working element is coupled to the transducer elements via ultrasonic coupling structures so as to responsively vibrate at ultrasonic frequencies. The subassembly also defines an aspiration channel which fluid-connects the lumens of the proximal and distal catheter sections so that unwanted biological material removed by the ultrasonically vibrated working element may be aspirated to a patient-external specimen collection site.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.