A catheter device including an internal elongated and hollow body extending between a proximal end and a distal end along a longitudinal axis, the internal elongated and hollow body defining a longitudinal aperture that extends between the proximal and distal ends thereof, the longitudinal aperture being shaped and sized for receiving a guide wire therein, and at least one mechanical waveguide secured to the internal elongated and hollow body and extending longitudinally along at least a portion of the internal elongated and hollow body, with the at least one mechanical waveguide capable of propagating at least one mechanical wave therealong.

Ultrasound catheter devices and methods provide enhanced disruption of blood vessel obstructions. Generally, an ultrasound catheter includes an elongate flexible catheter body with one or more lumens. An ultrasound transmission member or wire extends longitudinally through the catheter body lumen and, in many embodiments, a guide wire tube also extends through the same lumen. A distal head is fixed to or otherwise mechanically coupled with the distal end of the ultrasound transmission member or wire and is positioned adjacent the distal end of the catheter body. Although the distal end of the catheter body overlaps the distal head, the distal head is not directly affixed to the distal end of the catheter body. Thus, the distal tip may move freely, relative to the distal end of the catheter body when ultrasonic energy is applied through the ultrasound transmission member. Such a freely floating distal head enhances the efficiency of an ultrasound catheter, enabling the catheter to ablate calcific occlusions and increasing the useful life of the ultrasound transmission member and catheter.

An ultrasonic transmitting unit includes a first vibrating section and a second vibrating section vibrating at the same predetermined frequency with respect to each other. The ultrasonic transmitting unit includes a relay portion transmitting an ultrasonic vibration from the first vibrating section to the second vibrating section and positioned at a position corresponding to one of an antinode position of the vibration in the first vibrating section and a position different from an antinode position and a node position of the vibration in the second vibrating section, and a non-contact vibrating portion extending in the second vibrating section from the relay portion toward a first vibrating section side with being not in contact with the first vibrating section.

An apparatus includes a transducer assembly including a transducer housing and an ultrasonic transducer disposed within the transducer housing. A transducer horn is disposed at least partially within the transducer housing and includes a probe coupling. A first probe includes a first coupler and a first elongate member coupled to the first coupler. The first coupler has a first coupling portion and a second coupling portion, and the first coupling portion is configured to be releasably coupled to the probe coupling of the transducer horn such that the first probe is coupled to the ultrasonic transducer. A second probe includes a second coupler and a second elongate member coupled to the second coupler. The second coupler has a third coupling portion releasably coupiable to the second coupling portion of the first coupler such that the second probe is coupled to the ultrasonic transducer.

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 catheter assembly including, in some embodiments, a sonic connector at a proximal end of a core wire, a damping mechanism around a proximal end portion of the core wire, and a heat sink connected to the damping mechanism. The sonic connector is configured to couple to an ultrasound-producing mechanism and transmit vibrational energy to the proximal end of the core wire, which core wire includes a distal end portion configured to modify intravascular lesions. The damping mechanism includes a gasket system around the proximal end portion of the core wire in a damping-mechanism bore of the catheter assembly. The damping mechanism is configured to damp the vibrational energy. A system including, in some embodiments, the catheter assembly and the ultrasound-producing mechanism is also disclosed.

An atherectomy catheter includes a sheath and an elongate corewire. The sheath has a side wall configured to define, in a lumen and in a distal sheath portion, an entrapment boundary region having a drilling allowance region. The elongate corewire has a distal wire portion having an outer bulge portion that is proximal to an elongate drill tip portion. The elongate corewire is located in the lumen of the sheath with the outer bulge portion of the elongate corewire slidably disposed in the drilling allowance region of the sheath, and with the elongate drill tip portion of the elongate corewire distally protruding from the distal end of the sheath.

An ultrasonic horn, an ultrasonic transducer assembly including the same, and an ultrasonic surgical instrument including the same. The ultrasonic horn includes a body and a nose. The body defines a length and a maximum diameter of the ultrasonic horn. The body includes at least one depression arranged annularly thereabout that is configured to receive at least one protrusion for mounting the body within a support structure. The nose extends distally from the body. The body defines a proximal connector configured to enable the body to be secured to a piezoelectric stack and the nose defines a distal connector configured to enable the nose to be engaged with a waveguide for transmission of ultrasonic energy produced by the piezoelectric stack to the waveguide.

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.

This invention relates generally to an ultrasound device configured to generate a frustum-shaped beam capable of fragmenting a plurality of biomineralizations located within a patient's body in combination with synthetic cavitation nuclei. The ultrasound device includes a transducer assembly comprising a plurality of ultrasound transducer elements, and a multi-channel amplifier circuit. Each channel of the multi-channel amplifier circuit is configured to actuate a distinct subset of the plurality of transducer elements. The multi-channel amplifier circuit is configured to operate in each of a plurality of states, each state of comprising a set of frequencies at which each channel of the multi-channel amplifier circuit is configured to actuate the distinct subset of transducer elements. The multi-channel amplifier circuit is further configured to switch between the plurality of states, thereby causing the plurality of ultrasound transducer elements to produce a frustum-shaped beam.