Vibrating stent for opening calcified lesions

摘要

An intraluminal catheter and stent delivery system using vibratory energy to open calcified lesions. The catheter having an expandable stent mounted on a balloon portion thereof, is adapted to convey vibratory energy through the stent to a calcified lesion to facilitate crossing and dilating the lesion during a PTCA procedure. A vibratory energy source is transmitted through a flexible wire to provide vibratory energy to the stent, which in turn provides vibratory energy to a calcified lesion to thereby at least partially pulverize the lesion and assist in crossing and dilating the body lumen.