Nanoparticles are suspended in a fluid medium which is activated using an ultrasonic transducer in contact with the fluid medium. The fluid may be injected into a body cavity and ultrasonically activated to induce a cavitation effect. The body cavity may contain a natural or artificial hard surface, inflamed or with a biofilm harnessing bacteria, such as a bone, joint or implant, as well as the surrounding tissue. In an embodiment, a treatment device may be used before, during or after a procedure such as a minimally invasive or open surgery to disinfect the body cavity via irrigation with liquid containing suspended nanoparticles and ultrasonically activated. The irrigation device may supply the cavity with the liquid and include therein an ultrasonic transducer. The cleaning and disinfecting process may be performed as treatment of infection in absence of another surgical procedure.

An endovascular apparatus for crossing through an obstruction in a blood vessel comprises an elongate endovascular wire and a coupling. The coupling when in use transmits ultrasonic energy along the wire from an ultrasonic energy source to an active tip at a distal end of the wire. The coupling is arranged to couple the source to the wire at any of a plurality of discrete operational positions along the length of the wire for said transmission of ultrasonic energy to the active tip.

Provided herein is a catheter assembly including, in some embodiments, a core wire configured for linear actuation and a damping mechanism around the core wire. The core wire includes a proximal end with a sonic connector configured to couple to an ultrasound-producing mechanism. The core wire includes a distal end configured to modify intravascular lesions with vibrational energy from the ultrasound-producing mechanism. The damping mechanism includes a gasket system and a retainer to retain the gasket system in a damping-mechanism bore of the catheter assembly. The damping mechanism is around a proximal-end portion of the core wire, where the damping system can provide a compressive force sufficient to dampen transverse wave-producing vibrational energy in the proximal-end portion of the core wire without restricting the linear actuation of the core wire through the damping mechanism including extension and retraction of the core wire through the damping mechanism.

A method of treating a calculi mass can include using an ultrasonic probe to produce acoustic energy and fragment the mass. The method can include varying the frequency at which fragmentation occurs to treat the mass with a resonant frequency. The ultrasonic probe can have a distal tip for contact with the mass, where the tip has a morphology for concentrating stress on the mass. The ultrasonic probe can have two or more ultrasonic horns to allow for higher voltage and power levels.

A method of making an ultrasonic catheter, disposing an ultrasound member in the main lumen of a flexible catheter body; providing an intermediate member and a tip, wherein at least a tip maximum-diameter portion is disposed in the intermediate member, wherein an intermediate-member outer diameter substantially matches a main lumen inner diameter, and wherein a tip distal cross-section has a tip distal cross-section area less than a tip proximal cross-section area of a tip proximal cross-section; and attaching the intermediate member to the catheter body and to the tip, wherein at least one of the tip and the intermediate member is configured to prevent separation of the tip of the ultrasound member from the catheter body.

A method includes attaching one or more heat exchangers to one or more of a distal handle end and a proximal handle end of a lithotripter, the lithotripter including a handle, the handle having a handle distal end and a handle proximal end; a probe housed within the handle, the probe having a probe distal end and a probe proximal end; a passageway extending through the handle at least partially containing the probe; and a shielding insert contained within the passageway; wherein the probe, the passageway, and the shielding insert are contained within a central lumen of a driver resource; and performing a sterilization procedure on the surgical device; wherein the one or more heat exchangers collect and transfer heat at least through a full length of the handle, particularly to the lumen contained within the handle.

A device for delivering mechanical waves to treat a lesion present in a blood vessel, including a catheter extending between a first proximal end and a first distal end, an inflatable balloon secured to the catheter and being adjustable between an inflated configuration and a deflated configuration, and at least one mechanical waveguide extending between a second proximal end and a second distal end for propagating at least one mechanical wave from the second proximal end to the second distal, with the mechanical waveguide being secured to the inflatable balloon or the catheter.

A system to deliver energy to treat a mobile calculus, the system can include a drill and a lateral energy emitter. The drill can be configured to drill a recess into the mobile calculus or a passage through the mobile calculus. The lateral energy emitter can be configured to be advanced into the recess or the passage and to transmit the energy internal to the mobile calculus to fragment the mobile calculus. In some examples, the system can include a deployable capture portion to constrain a stone relative to the capture portion.

A drug-delivery device for vessels comprising a catheter body, an elongate ultrasound transmission member, an inflatable balloon, and a plurality of support wires. The catheter body has at least one lumen extending longitudinally therethrough. The elongate ultrasound transmission member extends longitudinally through the lumen. The elongate ultrasound transmission member has a distal portion and a proximal end configured to be coupled to an ultrasound transducer. The inflatable balloon, having an exterior surface, is coupled to the distal portion. The plurality of support wires are connected to the elongate ultrasound transmission member at two locations. A coating of at least one drug is on the exterior surface of the inflatable balloon. The elongate ultrasound transmission member is configured to transmit longitudinal vibrations to the inflatable balloon such that the inflatable balloon is longitudinally vibrated. The coating is removed by mechanical vibration of the inflatable balloon.

A device for introduction into a body vessel includes a shaft, a balloon positioned at the distal end of the shaft, a guidewire disposed longitudinally within the shaft to receive a guidewire during use, a balloon disposed at the distal end of the shaft, and longitudinal scoring wires to score a vascular lesion attached to the distal end of the shaft, disposed over the balloon and disposed within the shaft. The proximal ends are welded or otherwise affixed to a spring mounted in the handle. The balloon expands when fluid is delivered to the balloon through the inflation lumen. This expansion pushes the scoring wires against the vascular lesion.