An intracorporeal pressure shock wave includes an expandable pressure shock wave reflector at the distal end of an intracorporeal catheter to direct shock waves from a shock wave generator within a human or animal blood vessel or body lumen.

The present disclosure pertains to assemblies, devices and systems for shockwave generation and to methods of using the same.

Described herein are shock wave devices and methods for the treatment of calcified heart valves. One variation of a shock wave device includes three balloons that are each sized and shaped to fit within a concave portion of a valve cusp when inflated with a liquid and a shock wave source within each of the three balloons. Each balloon is separately and/or independently inflatable, and each shock wave source is separately and/or independently controllable. Methods of treating calcified heart valves using a shock wave device can include advancing a shock wave device having one or more balloons and a shock wave source in each of the balloons to contact a heart valve, inflating the one or more balloons with a liquid such that the balloon is seated within a concave portion of a valve cusp, and activating the shock wave source.

The invention provides a device for generating shock waves. The device may comprise an elongated tube and a conductive sheath circumferentially mounted around the elongated tube. The device may further comprise first and second insulated wires extending along the outer surface of the elongated tube. A portion of the first insulated wire is removed to form a first inner electrode, which is adjacent to a first side edge of the conductive sheath. A portion of the second insulated wire is removed to form a second inner electrode, which is adjacent to a second side edge of the conductive sheath. Responsive to a high voltage being applied across the first inner electrode and the second inner electrode, a first shock wave is created across the first side edge and the first inner electrode, and a second shock wave is created across the second side edge and the second inner electrode.

Scalar-longitudinal waves of a particular type are disclosed here which have the ability to slow down clock-measured time flow as well as the rate of all physical processes in a manner similar to the phenomenon of relativistic time dilation, but where said slowing occurs in a stationary frame of reference. An apparatus consisting of a high-voltage DC power supply whose high-voltage output is discharged through a thyratron to a dome electrode to produce a repeating series of scalar-longitudinal DC shock waves of short rise-time and arranged to pass through a target object or person for the purpose of slowing down the rate of flow of time for said target object or person.

A system, device and method for removing occlusive material from a bodily lumen comprising a catheter with a distally mounted and fluid-fillable litho-cushion in operative connection with at least one forward-focusing reflector. The catheter comprises a lumen with an electrode pair housing disposed in watertight engagement with the lumen at or near the distal end of the lumen, the electrode pair housing comprising at least one electrode pair. The at least one electrode pair is in wired communication with a pulse generator, wherein the electrode pair is configured to generate an electrical arc between the electrodes of the electrode pair with subsequent generation of a shock wave. The shock wave is directed distally out of the catheter lumen and focused forward and distally away from the catheter lumen by the at least one reflector toward the targeted occlusive material.

Described herein are shock wave devices and methods for the treatment of calcified heart valves. One variation of a shock wave device includes three balloons that are each sized and shaped to fit within a concave portion of a valve cusp when inflated with a liquid and a shock wave source within each of the three balloons. Each balloon is separately and/or independently inflatable, and each shock wave source is separately and/or independently controllable. Methods of treating calcified heart valves using a shock wave device can include advancing a shock wave device having one or more balloons and a shock wave source in each of the balloons to contact a heart valve, inflating the one or more balloons with a liquid such that the balloon is seated within a concave portion of a valve cusp, and activating the shock wave source.

A lithotripsy device for tunneling through vascular occlusions comprises a tunneling catheter including a tunneling catheter shaft having a distal end and a proximal end. A tunneling probe is disposed on the distal end of the tunneling catheter shaft. The tunneling probe has a pair of electrodes; each electrode being operatively connected to an electrical lead within the tunneling catheter shaft. The leads are configured for operative connection to an external pulse generator. Activation of an external pulse generator operatively connected to the leads causes repeated electrical discharges between the electrodes. When the electrodes are an in a fluid, the repeated electrical discharges produce repeated hydraulic shock waves in the fluid directed away from the electrical discharges. When the repeated hydraulic shock waves strike calcified tissue, the calcified tissue is broken into a modified plaque. The modified plaque has a lower resistance to mechanical dislocation that the original calcified tissue.

Described herein are shock wave devices and methods for the treatment of calcified heart valves. One variation of a shock wave device may comprise an elongated flexible tube carried by a sheath. The tube may have a fluid input end, which may be located near a proximal end of the sheath. The tube may include a loop portion. The loop portion may be configured to be at least partially accommodated within a cusp of the heart valve. The tube may be fillable with a conductive fluid. In some variations, the shock wave device may include an array of electrode pairs associated with a plurality of wires positioned within the loop portion of a tube. The electrode pairs may be electrically connectable to a voltage source and configured to generate shock waves in the conductive fluid in response to voltage pulses.

The invention provides a device for generating shock waves. The device may comprise an elongated tube and a conductive sheath circumferentially mounted around the elongated tube. The device may further comprise first and second insulated wires extending along the outer surface of the elongated tube. A portion of the first insulated wire is removed to form a first inner electrode, which is adjacent to a first side edge of the conductive sheath. A portion of the second insulated wire is removed to form a second inner electrode, which is adjacent to a second side edge of the conductive sheath. Responsive to a high voltage being applied across the first inner electrode and the second inner electrode, a first shock wave is created across the first side edge and the first inner electrode, and a second shock wave is created across the second side edge and the second inner electrode.