| 摘要 |
A probe for ultrasonically removing unwanted biological material, for example, from a vessel in a patient's cardiovascular system, includes a catheter assembly having distal and proximal catheter sections, each defining a respective lumen. A subassembly is connected to and between these catheter sections and houses piezoceramic transducer elements which are adapted to vibrate at ultrasonic frequencies. An elongate flexible working element (e.g., one or more wire elements) is housed within the distal catheter section and projects beyond that section's distal end so as to be adapted to contact unwanted biological material. The proximal end of the working element is coupled to the transducer elements via ultrasonic coupling structures so as to responsively vibrate at ultrasonic frequencies. The subassembly also defines an aspiration channel which fluid-connects the lumens of the proximal and distal catheter sections so that unwanted biological material removed by the ultrasonically vibrated working element may be aspirated to a patient-external specimen collection site.
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