Patent application number | Description | Published |
20140039358 | WEEPING BALLOON CATHETER WITH ULTRASOUND ELEMENT - Systems and methods for treating a blood clot positioned within a blood vessel are disclosed. In one embodiment, a balloon member is positioned on a distal end region of a catheter and an ultrasound emitting element is positioned within the balloon member and arranged for actively emitting ultrasound. In some exemplary embodiments, the disclosure provides a multi-wall balloon member and a multi-lumen catheter with at least one and/or all cavities of the balloon member arranged for heat transfer with the ultrasound emitting element. The disclosure also provides catheter arrangements with an ultrasound emitting element arranged to heat tissue adjacent to the balloon member. Additionally, in some embodiments, at least one and/or all walls of the balloon member have apertures arranged to release a therapeutic agent such as a thrombolytic drug. | 02-06-2014 |
20140107488 | INTERNAL TRANSDUCER ASSEMBLY WITH SLIP RING - A device for internal ultrasound imaging including a micro-motor rotates a drive shaft and ultrasound transducer. Conductors attach between the transducer and slip ring assemblies. The slip ring assemblies conductively couple the transducer conductors to a set of conductors extending toward a console. | 04-17-2014 |
20140107489 | RECIPROCATING INTERNAL ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER ASSEMBLY - A device for endoluminal therapeutic and diagnostic ultrasound procedures includes a motor which rotates a drive shaft and ultrasound transducer. In one example, conductors attach to the transducer and extend through a hollow drive shaft. In another example, a bias member conducts electric signals and stores energy. The device includes an operational state in which the motor rotates the drive shaft alternatingly between a first direction and an opposite second direction. | 04-17-2014 |
20140107490 | FEEDBACK/REGISTRATION MECHANISM FOR ULTRASOUND DEVICES - Among other things, there is disclosed structure and methods for registering images obtained through internal (e.g. intravascular) ultrasound devices. Embodiments of a device with a rotating ultrasound beam is provided, with a wall of the device being anisotropic in ultrasound passage. As examples, a cable opaque to ultrasound is attached along the wall of the device, so that the ultrasound beam at the location of the cable is blocked, reflected or scattered. As another example, a thin film of metallic material is placed on or in the wall to allow a portion of the beam to be blocked or attenuated. The imaging system recognizes the changes to the signals made by the anisotropic wall, and registers successive images according to those changes. | 04-17-2014 |
20140107491 | DEVICES AND METHODS FOR THREE-DIMENSIONAL INTERNAL ULTRASOUND USAGE - There are disclosed embodiments of devices and methods for imaging the inside of a body part, particularly a blood vessel. In particular embodiments, a catheter has a tip chamber, within which is an ultrasound transducer mounted on a pivot mechanism, a motor for turning the transducer, and an implement for pivoting the transducer. Examples of such an implement are a linear motor, a shaft or filament, and the pivot mechanism may be biased to return to a base position when the implement is not pivoting the transducer. In other embodiments, a mirror reflecting ultrasound signals from the transducer may be rotated and/or pivoted, using similar mechanisms. | 04-17-2014 |
20140107492 | MECHANICAL SCANNING ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER WITH MICROMOTOR - A system for use with ultrasound procedures including an ultrasound control and/or imaging system which has a microminiature motor, a rotatable reflector and a stationary ultrasound transducer. The transducer may be placed between the motor and the reflector, so as to eliminate the need for placement of wires or other artifact-creating items in the path of ultrasound signals. In particular embodiments, such systems can be incorporated in or retrofitted to commercially standard diagnostic and therapeutic catheters or other housings. Examples can be used in variety of ultrasound procedures, e.g. to perform intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging. | 04-17-2014 |
20140194744 | ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER DIRECTION CONTROL - Disclosed are embodiments of devices and methods for imaging the inside of a body part, such as a blood vessel. In particular embodiments, a catheter has a chamber within which is a transducer mounted to a pivot mechanism, a motor for turning the transducer, and a coil for providing a pivot force to the transducer. A magnet is attached to the transducer and is receptive of a torque applied by a magnetic field produced by energizing of the coil. | 07-10-2014 |
20140221820 | TEMPORAL ECHOGENIC MARKERS - Devices and methods for enhancing observability under ultrasound imaging of medical devices include temporal markers which are dynamic, producing a variable ultrasound image over time. Included are rotating markers which produce a Doppler shift visible through ultrasound imaging in a Doppler mode and which enhance visibility of the marker. Other devices and methods include alternating streams of fluid contrast agents and saline as well as destroying a fluid contrast agent stream with a high intensity ultrasound pulse. | 08-07-2014 |
20140221828 | NON-LINEAR ECHOGENIC MARKERS - Medical devices include echogenic subregions and echolucent subregions arranged in an alternating pattern and having exogenous features. Examples include metal printing and cast metal being applied to a plastic structure. Other examples include a fluid contrast agent including microbubbles housed in compartments within a structure. Additional examples include small resonators built into a structure for resonating at a specific frequency and imageable with a harmonic imaging mode of an ultrasound imaging system. | 08-07-2014 |
20140276076 | INTERNAL ULTRASOUND ASSEMBLY FLUID SEAL - There are disclosed embodiments of devices and methods for imaging the inside of a body part, particularly a blood vessel. In particular embodiments, a catheter has a tip chamber, within which is an ultrasound transducer mounted on a pivot mechanism, a motor for turning the transducer, and an implement for pivoting the transducer. Examples of such an implement are a linear motor, a shaft or filament, and the pivot mechanism may be biased to return to a base position when the implement is not pivoting the transducer. In other embodiments, a mirror reflecting ultrasound signals from the transducer may be rotated and/or pivoted, using similar mechanisms. | 09-18-2014 |
20140276083 | INTERNAL ULTRASOUND ASSEMBLY WITH PORT FOR FLUID INJECTION - There are disclosed embodiments of devices and methods for imaging the inside of a body part, particularly a blood vessel. In particular embodiments, a catheter has a tip chamber, within which is an ultrasound transducer mounted on a pivot mechanism, a motor for turning the transducer, and an implement for pivoting the transducer. Examples of such an implement are a linear motor, a shaft or filament, and the pivot mechanism may be biased to return to a base position when the implement is not pivoting the transducer. In other embodiments, a mirror reflecting ultrasound signals from the transducer may be rotated and/or pivoted, using similar mechanisms. | 09-18-2014 |