A catheter system for treating a vascular lesion within or adjacent to a vessel wall includes an energy source, a plurality of energy guides and a system controller. The energy source generates energy. The plurality of energy guides receive energy from the energy source. The system controller controls the energy source so that the energy is sequentially directed to each of the plurality of energy guides in an advancing wavefront. The system controller controls a firing rate of the energy source to each of the plurality of energy guides. The system controller can control a firing sequence to the plurality of energy guides so that the advancing wavefront is generated toward the vascular lesion from near the balloon proximal end and from near the balloon distal end. The system controller can control the energy source so that light energy from the energy source is alternatively directed to at least two of the plurality of energy guides at a different firing energy level from one another. The energy level can be based on pulse width, wavelength and/or amplitude of the energy pulse(s).

The present invention is directed toward a method for treating a vascular lesion within or adjacent to a vessel wall. The method includes the steps of generating energy with an energy source; receiving the energy with a plurality of energy guides; and controlling the energy source with a system controller of a catheter system so that the energy from the energy source is sequentially directed to each of the plurality of energy guides in a first firing sequence. The method can include the system controller controlling a firing rate of the energy source to each of the plurality of energy guides. The method can include the system controller controlling a firing sequence to the plurality of energy guides so that an advancing wavefront is generated toward the vascular lesion from near a balloon proximal end and/or from near a balloon distal end. The system controller can control a firing energy level, which can be dependent at least partially upon the pulse width, the wavelength and/or the amplitude of the energy pulses.

A method of forming a sound lens having a coating of a first metal, that utilizes a lens-shaped piece of heat resistant material, having a convex major surface, and having a sonic impedance similar to that of human tissue, taken from a group consisting essentially of high temperature plastics and silicone. In the method, the convex major surface is sputter coated with a layer of the first metal, less than 10 microns thick.

A catheter system for treating a vascular lesion within or adjacent to a vessel wall within a body of a patient includes a single light source that generates light energy, a first light guide and a second light guide, and a multiplexer. The first light guide and the second light guide are each configured to selectively receive light energy from the light source. The multiplexer receives the light energy from the light source in the form of a source beam and selectively directs the light energy from the light source in the form of individual guide beams to each of the first light guide and the second light guide.

An apparatus and methods for tissue restoration are provided. The apparatus may include a catheter shaft extending from a proximal end to a distal tip, the catheter shaft defining lumens including an inflation lumen and a light fiber lumen, a coated balloon positioned on a translucent distal segment of the catheter shaft proximal to the distal tip in fluid communication with the inflation lumen, the coated distal balloon comprising a translucent material and a coated material on an outer surface of the coated balloon, and a light fiber positioned in the catheter shaft in the light fiber lumen and extending through the translucent distal segment.

A catheter system for treating a treatment site within or adjacent to a blood vessel within a body of a patient, the treatment site having a proximal region and a distal region, includes an energy source, a guide shaft, and an energy guide. The energy source generates energy. The guide shaft is positionable adjacent to the treatment site. The energy guide receives energy from the energy source. The energy guide is movably coupled to the guide shaft. The energy guide includes a guide distal end that is configured to be positioned adjacent to the treatment site. The guide distal end of the energy guide is selectively movable relative to the guide shaft and adjacent to and between the proximal region and the distal region of the treatment site while the energy guide receives energy from the energy source.

A platform device for material excision or removal from vascular structures for either handheld or stereotactic table or robotics platform use may comprise a work element or elements configured to selectively open and close at least one articulable beak or scoopula configured to penetrate and remove intra-vascular materials or obstructions or follow a central lumen of another device or over a wire in a longitudinal direction. Flush and vacuum tissue transport mechanisms may be incorporated as well as single or multiple arrays of image guidance elements, directional elements, ablation elements and other interventional assistance elements. A single tube or an inner sheath and an outer sheath which may be co-axially disposed relative to a work element may be configured to actuate a beak or beaks or scoopulas and provisions for simultaneous or differential beak or scoopula closing under their differential rotation may be incorporated.

The present invention provides a system and method for treating tight, hard-to-cross calcified lesions in which an angioplasty balloon is used to dilate the lesions and provide shock waves to restore normal blood flow in a patient's artery. An exemplary device includes an elongated tube and a balloon wrapped circumferentially around the tube and sealed to a distal end of the tube. During treatment, the device is advanced into a patient's vasculature and the balloon is inflated with conductive fluid such that the balloon is fixed to walls of the vasculature proximal to the calcified lesion. The balloon includes at least one low-profile emitter positioned near the distal end of the balloon, which may be activated to generate shock waves to break loose calcifications in the lesion. After calcium in the tight lesion has been modified, the balloon can be deflated and advanced further into the lesion to continue treatment.

A catheter system for imparting pressure to induce fractures at a treatment site within or adjacent a blood vessel wall includes a catheter, a fortified balloon inflation fluid and a first light guide. The catheter includes an elongate shaft and a balloon that is coupled to the elongate shaft. The balloon has a balloon wall and can expand to a first expanded configuration to anchor the catheter in position relative. The fortified balloon inflation fluid can expand the balloon to the first expanded configuration. The fortified balloon inflation fluid includes a base inflation fluid and a fortification component. The fortification component reduces a threshold for inducing plasma formation in the fortified balloon inflation fluid compared to the base inflation fluid. The fortification component can include at least one of carbon and iron. The first light guide is disposed along the elongate shaft and is positioned at least partially within the balloon. The first light guide is in optical communication with a light source and the fortified balloon inflation fluid. The light source provides sub-millisecond pulses of a light to the first light guide so that plasma formation and rapid bubble formation occur in the fortified balloon inflation fluid, thereby imparting pressure waves upon the treatment site.

A catheter system includes a catheter having an elongate shaft, a balloon and a light guide. The balloon expands from a collapsed configuration to a first expanded configuration. The light guide is disposed along the elongate shaft and is in optical communication with a light source and a balloon fluid. A first portion of the light guide extends into a recess defined by the elongate shaft. A protection structure is disposed within the recess and is in contact with the first portion of the light guide. The light source provides pulses of light to the balloon fluid, thereby initiating plasma formation and rapid bubble formation within the balloon, thereby imparting pressure waves upon a treatment site. The protection structure can provide structural protection from the pressure waves to the first portion of the light guide.