An ultrasound catheter may be adapted for placement within a blood vessel having a vessel wall for treating a vascular lesion within or adjacent the vessel wall. The ultrasound catheter includes an elongate shaft extending from a distal region to a proximal region and an ultrasound transducer that is disposed relative to the distal region of the elongate shaft and is adapted to impart near-field acoustic pressure waves upon the vascular lesion in order to mechanically modify the vascular lesion. An inflatable balloon is disposed about the ultrasound transducer and is coupled to the elongate shaft, the inflatable balloon having a collapsed configuration suitable for advancing the ultrasound catheter through a patient's vasculature and an expanded configuration suitable for anchoring the ultrasound catheter in position relative to a treatment site.

Methods and devices for producing cavitation in tissue are provided. In one embodiment, a shock scattering method of Histotripsy therapy comprises delivering an initiation pressure waveform from an ultrasound therapy transducer into tissue, the initiation pressure waveform being configured to produce at least one bubble in the tissue, delivering a scattering pressure waveform from the ultrasound therapy transducer into the at least one bubble within a life-cycle of the at least one bubble, and producing cavitation nuclei near the at least one bubble with the scattering pressure waveform. The scattering pressure waveform can be delivered during the life-cycle of the at least one bubble. In some embodiments, the scattering pressure waveform is delivered within 5 s to 1 s of the initiation pressure waveform. Systems for performing shock scattering Histotripsy therapy are also discussed.

Described herein are low-profile electrodes for use with an angioplasty shockwave catheter. A low-profile electrode assembly may have an inner electrode, an insulating layer disposed over the inner electrode such that an opening in the insulating layer is aligned with the inner electrode, and an outer electrode sheath disposed over the insulating layer such that an opening in the outer electrode sheath is coaxially aligned with the opening in the insulating layer. This layered configuration allows for the generation of shockwaves that propagate outward from the side of the catheter. In some variations, the electrode assembly has a second inner electrode, and the insulating layer and outer electrode may each have a second opening that are coaxially aligned with the second inner electrode. An angioplasty shockwave catheter may have a plurality of such low-profile electrode assemblies along its length to break up calcified plaques along a length of a vessel.

Described herein are low-profile electrodes for use with an angioplasty shockwave catheter. A low-profile electrode assembly may have an inner electrode, an insulating layer disposed over the inner electrode such that an opening in the insulating layer is aligned with the inner electrode, and an outer electrode sheath disposed over the insulating layer such that an opening in the outer electrode sheath is coaxially aligned with the opening in the insulating layer. This layered configuration allows for the generation of shockwaves that propagate outward from the side of the catheter. In some variations, the electrode assembly has a second inner electrode, and the insulating layer and outer electrode may each have a second opening that are coaxially aligned with the second inner electrode. An angioplasty shockwave catheter may have a plurality of such low-profile electrode assemblies along its length to break up calcified plaques along a length of a vessel.

Described herein is a shock wave device for the treatment of vascular occlusions. The shock wave device includes an outer covering and an inner member inner connected at a distal end of the device. First and second conductive wires extend along the length of the device within the volume between the outer covering and the inner member. A conductive emitter band circumscribes the ends of the first and second wires to form a first spark gap between the end of the first wire and the emitter band and a second spark gap between the end of the second wire and the emitter band. When the volume is filled with conductive fluid and a high voltage pulse is applied across the first and second wires, first and second shock waves can be initiated from the first and second spark gaps.

Methods and devices for producing cavitation in tissue are provided. In one embodiment, a shock scattering method of Histotripsy therapy comprises delivering an initiation pressure waveform from an ultrasound therapy transducer into tissue, the initiation pressure waveform being configured to produce at least one bubble in the tissue, delivering a scattering pressure waveform from the ultrasound therapy transducer into the at least one bubble within a life-cycle of the at least one bubble, and producing cavitation nuclei near the at least one bubble with the scattering pressure waveform. The scattering pressure waveform can be delivered during the life-cycle of the at least one bubble. In some embodiments, the scattering pressure waveform is delivered within 5 s to 1 s of the initiation pressure waveform. Systems for performing shock scattering Histotripsy therapy are also discussed.

Electrohydraulic lithotripters comprising a plurality of electrohydraulic probes are disclosed. Each probe of the plurality of probes comprise a first electrode and a second electrode positioned at a distal end of the probe such that when the probe is discharged, an electric arc between the first electrode and the second electrode produces a shockwave that radiates from the distal end of the probe. A first probe and a second probe of the plurality of probes may be configured to discharge simultaneously or sequentially.

A system for thrombus detection and removal from a blood pump including a housing having an inlet cannula including an inner tube, a rotor disposed within the housing, the rotor being in fluid communication with the inlet cannula, and a stator disposed within the housing. The stator may be configured to rotate the rotor when a current is applied to the stator. A flexible circuit assembly may also be disposed within the housing including at least one of the group consisting of a plurality of light emitters and a plurality of ultrasound emitters.

Systems, methods, and devices for using ultrasound for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures are provided. Ultrasound signals may be transmitted and/or received by ultrasound transducers in an ultrasound device positioned within the anatomy of a patient. The ultrasound transducers may be arranged in an array such that a first segment of the array is configured to transmit ultrasound pulses and receive ultrasound echoes for diagnostic procedures and a second segment of the array is configured to transmit ultrasound pulses for therapeutic procedures. The received ultrasound echoes may be used to generate two- or three-dimensional images of the anatomy.

Described herein are low-profile electrodes for use with an angioplasty shockwave catheter. A low-profile electrode assembly may have an inner electrode, an insulating layer disposed over the inner electrode such that an opening in the insulating layer is aligned with the inner electrode, and an outer electrode sheath disposed over the insulating layer such that an opening in the outer electrode sheath is coaxially aligned with the opening in the insulating layer. This layered configuration allows for the generation of shockwaves that propagate outward from the side of the catheter. In some variations, the electrode assembly has a second inner electrode, and the insulating layer and outer electrode may each have a second opening that are coaxially aligned with the second inner electrode. An angioplasty shockwave catheter may have a plurality of such low-profile electrode assemblies along its length to break up calcified plaques along a length of a vessel.