Non-cavitation shockwave balloon catheter system

摘要

An angioplasty catheter includes an elongated carrier, and an angioplasty balloon about the carrier in sealed relation thereto. The balloon is arranged to receive a fluid therein that inflates the balloon. The catheter further includes a shock wave generator within the balloon that forms a rapidly expanding and collapsing bubble within the balloon to form mechanical shock waves within the balloon. The expanding bubble forms a first shock and the collapsing balloon forms a second shock wave. The shock wave generator is arranged such that the energy of the first shock wave is greater than the energy of the second shock wave.

主权项

1. An angioplasty catheter comprising:
an elongated carrier; an angioplasty balloon about the carrier in sealed relation thereto, the balloon being arranged to receive a fluid therein that inflates the balloon wherein the balloon includes a central portion that extends longitudinally along the carrier, said central portion having a constant diameter; and a shock wave generator located within the balloon and aligned with the central portion thereof for generating a plasma arc within the balloon that in turn forms a rapidly expanding and collapsing bubble within the balloon and wherein the expansion of the bubble creates a first shock wave and the collapse of the bubble creates a second shock wave and wherein the bubble is non-spherical and wherein the plasma arc is limited to be shorter than two microseconds whereby the energy in the first shock wave is greater than the energy in the second shock wave.