A lithotripter is provided for fragmenting a stone inside a patient's body. In one form, the lithotripter includes a motor having at least two modes of operation and is configured to produce first and second waveforms. A wave guide shaft is configured to transmit the first and second waveforms to the stone. In one form, at least one of the first and second waveforms is provided to the stone at a frequency that is about equal to a natural frequency of the stone. In a variation, the lithotripter may include an ultrasonic driver configured to produce an ultrasonic frequency waveform and a sonic driver configured to produce a sonic frequency waveform. The sonic driver is mechanically coupled to the ultrasonic driver. The ultrasonic driver and the sonic driver may be disposed within a driver housing. In another variation, the lithotripter may include a brushless DC motor.

A method of delivering a drug in a vessel includes positioning an inflatable balloon that is located at a distal end of an ultrasonic device within a lumen of the vessel, the inflatable balloon being deflated and coated with at least one drug; inflating the inflatable balloon; and transmitting a vibration to the distal end of the ultrasonic device to dislodge the drug from the inflated inflatable balloon and deliver the drug to an interior portion of the vessel.

The present disclosure describes effector deployment systems and devices that can be coupled adjunctively to a shaft of a concentric cylinder system, to provide additional functionality during intravascular procedures.

A catheter includes a catheter body (CB) having a CB proximal-portion, a CB distal-portion, and a CB lumen. The CB distal-portion has a CB distal end. The CB proximal-portion has a distally narrowing taper, wherein the CB distal-portion extends distally from the distally narrowing taper of the CB proximal-portion. The CB lumen extends through the CB proximal-portion and the CB distal-portion. An ultrasound transmission member (UTM) has a UTM distal end. The UTM extends longitudinally through the CB lumen. The UTM has a longitudinal taper that tapers toward the UTM distal end, and wherein the longitudinal taper tapers distally from the distally narrowing taper of the CB proximal-portion. A distal head (DH) is coupled with the UTM distal end and is disposed adjacent the CB distal end.

A catheter includes multiple shock wave points of origin for intracorporeal treatment of blood vessels.

A lithotripter is provided for fragmenting a stone inside a patient's body. In one form, the lithotripter includes a motor having at least two modes of operation and is configured to produce first and second waveforms. A wave guide shaft is configured to transmit the first and second waveforms to the stone. In one form, at least one of the first and second waveforms is provided to the stone at a frequency that is about equal to a natural frequency of the stone. In a variation, the lithotripter may include an ultrasonic driver configured to produce an ultrasonic frequency waveform and a sonic driver configured to produce a sonic frequency waveform. The sonic driver is mechanically coupled to the ultrasonic driver. The ultrasonic driver and the sonic driver may be disposed within a driver housing. In another variation, the lithotripter may include a brushless DC motor.

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.

A system and method for operating an ultrasonic treatment device includes generating an ultrasound electrical signal using an ultrasound signal generator; supplying the ultrasound electrical signal to an ultrasonic transducer to generate ultrasonic vibratory motion of an ultrasonic vibration transmission member; monitoring an electrical characteristic associated with the ultrasonic transducer; processing the monitored electrical characteristic to determine at least one of a type of material encountered by a distal end of the ultrasonic vibration transmission member and a type of vascular pathway that the ultrasonic catheter is traversing; and controlling at least one of a modulation frequency and a waveform of the ultrasound electrical signal based on the determined at least one of the type material encountered by the distal end of the ultrasonic vibration transmission member and the type of vascular pathway that the ultrasonic catheter is traversing.

A method of controlling the application of energy to a radio frequency (RF) instrument based on a surgical technique may include activating the instrument for a first period T1, during which time a portion of an end effector contacts a tissue, plotting at least two electrical parameters associated with the tissue to classify an amount of the end effector in contact with the tissue, applying a classification algorithm to classify the amount of the end effector in contact with the tissue, and applying an amount of energy to the end effector based on the amount of the end effector in contact with the tissue. The parameters may include a minimum impedance of the tissue and an amount of time that the impedance slope is ˜0. The end effector may contact the tissue with a tip end or with an entire surface.

For improved treatment of occlusions, a microcatheter guidewire unit for use in a hollow organ including a catheter body with a distal end, a proximal end, and at least two guidewires with guidewire tips is provided. The first guidewire and/or a tip of the first guidewire has a higher rigidity than a second guidewire and/or a tip of the second guidewire. The first guidewire and the second guidewire are passed through the catheter body and arranged such that the tip of the first guidewire and the tip of the second guidewire may be advanced or retracted independently of one another along longitudinal axes.