A catheter for delivering shockwaves to a calcified lesion includes an elongated carrier, a pair of electrodes carried by the carrier, said electrodes being immersed in a conductive liquid, and a power source with a circuit coupled to the electrodes for supplying voltage pulses to the electrodes. The power source includes a capacitor and a switch. Each voltage pulse is between 1,000 volts and 10,000 volts. Each voltage pulse is generated by closing the switch that causes a charge stored on the capacitor to be delivered to the electrode pair. Each voltage pulse has sufficient energy to generate an arc in the liquid, allowing current to flow across the pair of electrodes to produce a shock wave associated with the expansion of a steam bubble. The catheter also includes a temperature sensor configured to sense the temperature of the conductive fluid proximate to the pair of electrodes.

Axial lengthening thrombus capture systems and methods can remove materials of interest, including blood clots, from a body region. These can involve the circulatory system for the treatment of pulmonary embolism (PE), deep vein thrombosis (DVT), cerebrovascular embolism, and other vascular occlusions.

An ultrasonic transceiver device for producing ultrasonic beams comprises a body vibratable at ultrasonic frequencies and an extensive surface for beam emanation, the device configured to produce an unfocused, or alternatively a focused, power beam for thermal tissue damage, the power beam being produced by vibration over the body of the transceiver and emanating from the extent of the surface, whereby the extensive surface becomes subject to convective cooling when immersed in a fluid by a chimney effect set up by said unfocused beam.

Disclosed herein are systems and methods to remove material of interest, including blood clots, from a body region, including but not limited to the circulatory system for the treatment of pulmonary embolism (PE), deep vein thrombosis (DVT), cerebrovascular embolism, and other vascular occlusions.

According to some embodiments there is provided a method for controlling a treatment effect on blood vessel tissue during an ultrasonic treatment, the method comprising positioning an ultrasonic transducer device in the blood vessel lumen; controlling a treatment effect by controlling fluid flow, wherein controlling comprises deploying a fluid restrictor at a location relative to the transducer effective to block at least a portion of fluid flowing upstream, downstream or adjacent the transducer. According to some embodiments there is provided an ultrasonic transducer device sized for placement in a body lumen, and comprising a fluid restrictor effective to block at least a portion of fluid flowing upstream, downstream or adjacent the transducer. In some embodiments, the fluid is blood.

Systems and methods can remove material of interest, including blood clots, from a body region, including but not limited to the circulatory system for the treatment of pulmonary embolism (PE), deep vein thrombosis (DVT), cerebrovascular embolism, and other vascular occlusions.

Systems and methods can remove material of interest, including blood clots, from a body region, including but not limited to the circulatory system for the treatment of pulmonary embolism (PE), deep vein thrombosis (DVT), cerebrovascular embolism, and other vascular occlusions.

A clot removal device has a segment that has two main struts that serve as a frame for holding a plurality of secondary struts. Each of the two main struts has a proximal end that is connected at a proximal point of the segment and extends along a generally circumferential path, with each main strut terminating at a separate connecting point that is distal from the proximal point. The connecting points are connected to each other to form a generally tubular structure defining an inner lumen. The plurality of secondary struts forms a lattice of cells, with each cell surrounded by four secondary struts. Two generally straight distal struts are connected to the lattice of cells at a distal end of the segment, and are connected to each other to form a distal point.

According to some embodiments there is provided a method for controlling a treatment effect on blood vessel tissue during an ultrasonic treatment, the method comprising positioning an ultrasonic transducer device in the blood vessel lumen; controlling a treatment effect by controlling fluid flow, wherein controlling comprises deploying a fluid restrictor at a location relative to the transducer effective to block at least a portion of fluid flowing upstream, downstream or adjacent the transducer. According to some embodiments there is provided an ultrasonic transducer device sized for placement in a body lumen, and comprising a fluid restrictor effective to block at least a portion of fluid flowing upstream, downstream or adjacent the transducer. In some embodiments, the fluid is blood.

Systems and methods can remove material of interest, including blood clots, from a body region, including but not limited to the circulatory system for the treatment of pulmonary embolism (PE), deep vein thrombosis (DVT), cerebrovascular embolism, and other vascular occlusions.