Water jet atherectomy device.

摘要

A technique for treatment of plaque deposits (120) on the arterial wall (110) of a patient. The technique employs a high pressure jet (126) of sterile saline solution directed at the plaque deposit. The high pressure jet is located at the distal end of a guide wire or catheter (12) which is advanced through the vascular system to the site of the plaque deposit. Optional removal of the debris is via an evacuation lumen within the catheter. This particular technique directs the high pressure jet of fluid distal to the distal tip of the guide wire or catheter. This permits treatment of arteries, which are totally occluded, because the device need not transit the lesion to be effective. Some applications will use the high pressure jet of fluid to open a sufficient passage within the occlusion to permit further dilatation using a balloon (58) integral to or passed over the device. An ultrasonic transducer array located adjacent the high pressure jet permits the attending physician to monitor the procedure. This may be particularly important for those embodiments for which the high pressure jet of fluid may be inadvertently directed toward the vessel wall at short range. The ultrasound device ensures that the jet of fluid is directed at plaque, rather than the native vessel. <IMAGE> <IMAGE> <IMAGE>