Method and apparatus for treatment of intracranial hemorrhages
An ultrasound catheter with a lumen for fluid delivery and fluid evacuation, and an ultrasound source is used for the treatment of intracerebral or intraventricular hemorrhages. After the catheter is inserted into a blood clot, a lytic drug can be delivered to the blood clot via the lumen while applying ultrasonic energy to the treatment site. As the blood clot is dissolved, the liquefied blood clot can be removed by evacuation through the lumen.
1 . An ultrasound catheter comprising:
an elongate tubular body defined by a solid wall and having a distal portion and a proximal portion and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween;
a plurality of spaced-apart, separate ultrasound radiating elements each positioned within a window disposed at a first longitudinal position on an outer surface of the elongate tubular body, within the distal portion;
a plurality of wires embedded within the solid wall and connected to the plurality of ultrasound radiating elements embedded within the solid wall; and
a plurality of lumens formed within at least the distal portion of the elongate tubular body, each lumen including a longitudinal opening in the elongate tubular body configured to allow fluid to flow therethrough, each longitudinal opening extending continuously from a point distal relative to one of the windows to a point proximal relative to that window, wherein at least a portion of each longitudinal opening is located at the first longitudinal position and is spaced apart from the window around a circumference of the elongate tubular body.
2 . An ultrasound catheter comprising:
an elongate tubular body having a distal portion and a proximal portion and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween;
an ultrasound radiating element disposed within the distal portion, the ultrasound radiating element positioned within a window disposed at a first longitudinal position on an outer surface of the elongate tubular body; and
a plurality of lumens formed within at least the distal portion of the elongate tubular body, wherein each lumen includes a longitudinal opening in the elongate tubular body configured to allow fluid to flow therethrough, each of the longitudinal openings extending continuously from a point distal relative to the window to a point proximal relative to the window, wherein at least a portion of each longitudinal opening is located at the first longitudinal position and is spaced apart from the window around a circumference of the elongate tubular body.