Lesion crossing shock wave catheter
Inventors
Phan, Huy • Nguyen, Hoa • Long, Chi • Jenkins, Todd
Assignees
Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-12274460-B2
Publication Date
2025-04-15
Expiration Date
Abstract
The present invention provides a catheter for treating occlusions in blood vessels. The catheter includes at least one electrode pair positioned inside of a flexible angioplasty balloon at the distal end of the catheter. In some designs, the electrode pairs are arranged in a low-profile or coplanar configuration, reducing the diameter of the distal end of the device and permitting treatment of tight and hard-to-cross occlusions. The flexible angioplasty balloon has an extremely low profile and does need to be folded before insertion of the catheter into the cardiovascular system. During treatment, the balloon can be expanded a relatively small amount sufficient to immerse the electrode pairs in a conductive fluid before generating shock waves across the electrodes to treat the occlusion. The balloon can be made of material having elastomeric properties such that it returns to its original low profile configuration when it is deflated following treatment.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a catheter for treating occlusions in blood vessels, including a tubular guidewire sheath defining a plurality of lumens, and a shock wave generator located near a distal end of the catheter. The shock wave generator includes at least one distal electrode pair, with electrodes of each pair spaced apart to define at least one gap, and high voltage pulses applied across first and second wires connected to the distal electrode pair cause current to flow across the at least one gap to create shock waves for treating an occlusion.
The distal end further includes a flexible cap formed from a material having elastomeric properties and sealably attached to the distal end of the catheter and surrounding the at least one distal electrode pair. The flexible cap is inflatable with conductive fluid such that the flexible cap expands to provide a space between an inner wall of the flexible cap and the at least one distal electrode pair, and when the flexible cap is deflated it returns to a low profile configuration without folds.
The flexible cap is constrained such that a maximum diameter of the flexible cap in the inflated state is no more than 15% greater than a diameter of the flexible cap in the deflated state, where the maximum diameter is independent of a size of the blood vessel. The flexible cap provides the space while the shock wave generator operates, with the conductive fluid configured to allow expansion and spacing between the flexible cap inner wall and the distal electrode pair.
Claims Coverage
The document identifies one independent claim. The claim coverage centers on a distal shock-wave generator driven by pulsed high voltage across electrode gaps, combined with a sealable elastomeric inflatable flexible cap that spaces the electrodes from the cap inner wall while remaining low-profile and non-folding during advancement into a blood vessel. The independent claim’s inventive features are: (i) distal electrode-gap shock wave generation using pulsed voltage applied across wire connections, and (ii) an elastomeric inflatable flexible cap that is inflatable with conductive fluid to create a controlled space while meeting a deflated/non-folding low-profile requirement and a capped diameter-growth constraint.
Distal shock-wave generator with pulsed electrode-gap excitation
A shock wave generator located near a distal end of the catheter, including at least one distal electrode pair with electrodes spaced apart to define at least one gap, where proximal ends of first and second wires are connectable to a pulsed voltage source and distal ends connect to the at least one distal electrode pair so that applying high voltage pulses across the first wire and the second wire causes current to flow across the at least one gap creating shock waves for treating an occlusion.
Elastomeric inflatable flexible cap sealably surrounding the distal electrode pair
A flexible cap formed from a material having elastomeric properties and sealably attached to the distal end of the catheter and surrounding the at least one distal electrode pair, wherein the flexible cap is inflatable with conductive fluid such that the flexible cap expands to provide a space between an inner wall of the flexible cap and the at least one distal electrode pair.
Non-folding low-profile deflated state with constrained inflated diameter
When the flexible cap is in a deflated state, a surface area of the flexible cap is small enough that the flexible cap is not folded when the catheter is advanced into a blood vessel, and after being deflated, the flexible cap returns to a low profile configuration without folds; with an inflated maximum diameter no more than 15% greater than a diameter in the deflated state, where the maximum diameter is independent of a size of the blood vessel.
Across the single independent claim, the catheter combines pulsed high-voltage shock-wave generation across distal electrode gaps with a sealable elastomeric flexible cap that is inflatable with conductive fluid to maintain a space between the cap inner wall and the distal electrode pair, while ensuring non-folding low-profile advancement and a constrained inflated diameter increase.
Stated Advantages
Enables treating blood-vessel occlusions using distal shock waves generated by high-voltage pulses across electrode gaps.
Provides a space between an inner wall of the flexible cap and the distal electrode pair when the flexible cap is inflated with conductive fluid.
Prevents the flexible cap from folding when the catheter is advanced into a blood vessel and returns to a low profile configuration without folds after being deflated.
Documented Applications
Treating occlusions in blood vessels using a shock wave generator at a distal end of a catheter, with the system including a flexible cap inflatable with conductive fluid around distal electrode pairs.
Interested in licensing this patent?