TUBULAR COMPLIANT MECHANISMS FOR ULTRASONIC IMAGING SYSTEMS AND INTRAVASCULAR INTERVENTIONAL DEVICES

摘要

A micromanipulator comprising a tubular structure and a structural compliance mechanism that are formed from a tube made of an elastic and/or superelastic material. The micromanipulator is useful for intravascular interventional applications and particularly ultrasonic imaging when coupled with an ultrasound transducer. Also disclosed are medical devices for crossing vascular occlusions using radio-frequency energy or rotary cutting, preferably under the guidance of real-time imaging of the occlusion, as well as accompanying methods.