Shockwave balloon catheter system
A system for breaking obstructions in body lumens includes a catheter including an elongated carrier, a balloon about the carrier in sealed relation thereto, the balloon being arranged to receive a fluid therein that inflates the balloon, and an arc generator including at least one electrode within the balloon that forms a mechanical shock wave within the balloon. The system further includes a power source that provides electrical energy to the arc generator.
1 . A method of treating a calcified lesion, the method comprising:
providing a catheter having:
a hollow sheath defining a lumen;
a dilating balloon sealed to the hollow sheath and defining an annular channel around an exterior of the hollow sheath; and
a shock wave generator located within the annular channel defined by the balloon and adjacent to the exterior of the hollow sheath;
guiding the catheter along a guidewire received in the lumen until the balloon is adjacent the calcified lesion;
inflating the balloon with a fluid;
providing energy to the shock wave generator from a power source; and
generating a shock wave from the shock wave generator, wherein the shock wave exerts a peak pressure of 1000 psi.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the calcified lesion is a non-concentric calcified lesion.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting a cardiac R-wave with an R-wave detector; and
synchronizing generating the shock wave with the R-wave.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the shock wave comprises generating a stream of shock waves.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the power source is arranged to provide high voltage pulses having at least one of selectable pulse durations, selectable voltage amplitudes, and selectable pulse repetition rates.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein inflating the balloon includes contacting the balloon to an intimal layer of vessel tissue.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising focusing the shock wave toward the calcified lesion with a reflector located within the balloon.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the catheter includes mechanical stress risers located on the balloon.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the stress risers comprise studs.
10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the stress risers comprise raised ribs.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the shock wave has a duration of a few microseconds.
12 . The method of claim 1 , comprising sensing a reflected signal from the calcified lesion with a sensor of the catheter.
13 . The method of claim 12 , comprising determining by a processor a quality of calcification based on the reflected signal.
14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising determining, by the processor, a quality of lesion pulverization based on the reflected signal.
15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the shock wave generator comprises a pair of spaced apart electrodes.
16 . A method of treating a calcified lesion, the method comprising:
providing a catheter having:
a hollow sheath defining a lumen;
a dilating balloon sealed to the hollow sheath and defining an annular channel around an exterior of the hollow sheath; and
a shock wave generator located within the annular channel defined by the balloon and adjacent to the exterior of the hollow sheath;
guiding the catheter along a guidewire received in the lumen until the balloon is adjacent the calcified lesion;
inflating the balloon with a fluid;
providing energy to the shock wave generator from a power source; and
generating a peak pressure of 1000 psi.