Image Guided Catheters and Methods of Use

摘要

An interventional medical device is provided that incorporates a forward-directed ultrasound imaging system integrated into a single minimally invasive device. The medical device can be in the form of an image guided catheter having a replaceable and reusable ultrasound imaging assemble and replaceable interventional devices such as a removable introducer needle and syringe, the device having a tapered distal tip, particularly those suitable for minimally invasive direct introduction into the human or other mammalian body. The imaging system comprises one or more small ultrasound transducers that can be replaceably integrated into the device via a longitudinal slot in an expendable elongate body and may be inserted into and removed from the device to customize the device for a particular use. An ultrasound system can be provided in the device either alone or in combination with fiber optic imaging to provide a range of forward imaging and therapeutic capabilities of the device for direct access to a target site from the skin via the removable introducer needle.

主权项

1. An image guided catheter device configured to be used in minimally invasive medical procedures, the device comprising:
a housing configured to facilitate entry of the image guided catheter device though skin tissue of a human body, wherein the housing has a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end having an outer diameter larger that an outer diameter of the distal end, wherein the housing has a tapered tip at the distal end, the tapered tip being configured to be directly inserted via the skin tissue and guidable to a target site within the human body during use of the image guided catheter device, wherein said housing has at least one longitudinal imaging lumen and at least one longitudinal needle lumen, and wherein said housing has a longitudinal slot opening at the proximal end adjacent to an imaging lumen at the distal end; a first imaging element adapted to be disposed at a distal end of the at least one imaging lumen, said imaging lumen terminating at a peripheral location behind a distal tip of the tapered tip of the distal end of the housing, said first imaging element including a first ultrasound transducer being located at an outer periphery of the distal end behind the distal tip of the tapered tip of the elongate body including the needle lumen, and the ultrasound transducer being electrically coupled via the at least one longitudinal imaging lumen to an output device, said first ultrasound transducer configured to provide a forward-directed imaging zone from the distal end to include the tapered distal tip of the elongate body, the tapered distal tip of the tapered tip of the elongate body being a most distal portion of the elongate body and being forward of the first ultrasound transducer, the first ultrasound transducer being configured for forwardly guiding the device from a point of entry of the catheter through the tissue of the human body to the target site within the human body during use of the device; said first imaging element being configured to provide forward-directed imaging in a direction of the distal end of the elongate body to include the distal tip of the tapered tip of the elongate body; and a removable introducer needle disposed within the needle lumen at an end-on aperture within the tapered distal tip of the tapered tip of the elongate body, the introducer needle being within said forward-directed imaging zone of said ultrasound transducer when extending from the end-on aperture and configured to puncture the human body tissue, said introducer needle of said device configured to be introduced into said human body substantially simultaneously with the device, said introducer needle being configured, under ultrasound forward-directed imaging guidance, to be guided within the human body to a location proximate to said target site and to directly access and to puncture said target site within the human body during use of the device via said forward-directed imaging zone of said ultrasound transducer.