Devices, systems, and methods are provided for breaking a kidney stone(s) into smaller particles, fragments, and/or stone dust; and removing the same from a patient. The medical device may include a tube having a distal end, a proximal end, a port located proximal of the distal end, and a length of the tube extending between the proximal end and the distal end. A first portion of the tube may be proximal of the port and have a first cross-sectional area, while a second portion of the tube may be distal of the port and have a second cross-sectional area smaller than the first cross-sectional area. A first lumen may extend from the proximal end to the distal end of the tube. A second lumen may in communication with the port to fluidly connect the proximal end of the tube with the port.

Methods for treating a human patient having a subarachnoid hematoma, such as to prevent cerebral vasospasm or to reduce the severity of cerebral vasospasm in the patient, and associated devices, systems, and methods are disclosed herein. In a particular embodiment, a thrombolytic agent is introduced extravascularly into a subarachnoid region including the hematoma. A headset configured for hands-free delivery of transcranial ultrasound energy is connected to the patient and used to deliver ultrasound energy to the subarachnoid region to enhance the thrombolytic effect of the thrombolytic agent. The type and/or dosage of the thrombolytic agent can be selected based on the enhanced thrombolytic effect. For example, the enhanced thrombolytic effect can allow the therapeutically effective use of less aggressive thrombolytic agents and/or lower dosages of thrombolytic agents. In some cases, this can reduce the clinical probability of additional cerebral hemorrhage.

The inventive device is a mechanical wave inducing device being connectable to a needle. The device has a displacement source and a driving signal connection part in order to connect the displacement source to a signal source. The device has also two connections parts, which are connected to the displacement source, and which each wing part has a connection point to be attached with the needle. The wing parts are converters in order to convert longitudinal mechanical wave movement created by the displacement source into transversal mechanical wave movement for the needle, and at least one connection point is designed to match the transversal mechanical waves to the needle.

A waveguide that is configured to focus ballistic shockwaves by harnessing the propagation speed of an acoustic wave through different materials by controlling the geometry and the materials forming the waveguide through which the ballistic shockwave is travelling so as to focus the ballistic shockwaves at a focal zone.

A system for treating soft tissue of a patient. The system includes a treatment head and a computer portion. The treatment head includes a probe and an electrode operably coupled to the probe. The probe and electrode are configured to respectively deliver a mechanical force impulse and an electrical stimulation to the soft tissue when placed in operable contact with the soft tissue. The computer portion includes a CPU and is configured to coordinate the delivery of the mechanical force impulse and electrical stimulation relative to each other. The system is configured to sense a shockwave in the soft tissue of the patient, the shockwave resulting from the mechanical force impulse delivered to the soft tissue via the probe. The system is also configured to analyze a characteristic of the sensed shockwave and configure the electrical stimulation to be delivered to the soft tissue via the electrode based on the characteristic analysis of the sensed shockwave. The characteristic may be at least one of frequency of the sensed shockwave, amplitude of the sensed shockwave, and/or wave shape (form) of the sensed shockwave.

Methods for performing non-invasive thrombolysis with ultrasound using, in some embodiments, one or more ultrasound transducers to focus or place a high intensity ultrasound beam onto a blood clot (thrombus) or other vascular inclusion or occlusion (e.g., clot in the dialysis graft, deep vein thrombosis, superficial vein thrombosis, arterial embolus, bypass graft thrombosis or embolization, pulmonary embolus) which would be ablated (eroded, mechanically fractionated, liquefied, or dissolved) by ultrasound energy. The process can employ one or more mechanisms, such as of cavitational, sonochemical, mechanical fractionation, or thermal processes depending on the acoustic parameters selected. This general process, including the examples of application set forth herein, is henceforth referred to as “Thrombolysis.”

The present invention provides methods and devices for treating endovascular disease. Vibrational energy is delivered to change compliance and increase permeability at the treatment area. To improve clinical outcomes, one or more therapeutic drugs may be delivered to the treatment area.

Disclosed herein shock wave catheters comprising one or more shock wave electrodes for cracking calcifications located within blood vessels. In some variations, a shock wave catheter has first and second shock wave electrodes each circumferentially disposed over the outer surface of the catheter. In certain variations, the first electrode has a recess and the second electrode has a protrusion that is received by the recess and a spark gap is located along the separation between the recess and the protrusion. The second electrode can also have a recess that receives a protrusion from a third shock wave electrode, where the separation between the second and third electrodes along the separation between the recess and the protrusion forms a second spark gap. A shock wave can be initiated across these spark gaps when a voltage is applied over the electrodes.

A medical system for use in a lithotripsy procedure may include a processor configured to receive input from a first imaging device, wherein the first imaging device may be configured to send image data representative of an image captured in a lumen of a kidney, bladder, or ureter to the processor. The processor may be configured to display the image on a display device coupled to the processor, and analyze the image to sense the presence of an object within the image. If an object was sensed within the image, the processor may analyze the image to estimate a size of the object, and display the estimate on the display device.

A method for treating a treatment site within a body of a patient with a catheter system includes generating energy with an energy source; positioning an inflatable balloon substantially adjacent to the treatment site, the inflatable balloon having a balloon wall that defines a balloon interior that receives a balloon fluid; receiving energy from the energy source with an energy guide; guiding the energy with the energy guide into the balloon interior; sensing acoustic sound waves generated in the balloon fluid with an acoustic sensor that is positioned outside of the body of the patient; generating a sensor signal with the acoustic sensor based at least in part on the sensed acoustic sound waves; electrically coupling a system controller to the acoustic sensor; receiving the sensor signal from the acoustic sensor with the system controller; and controlling operation of the catheter system with the system controller based at least in part on the sensor signal, the system controller being configured to recognize one of: (i) normal operation of the catheter system, and (ii) potential damage to the energy guide.