Device for diagnostic and therapeutic intravascular intervention

Claim 1

A device permitting imaging and removing obstructions from blood vessels and the like of a patient, the device comprising, a flexible housing dimensioned for insertion within a blood vessel; laser means borne by the housing for transmitting laser energy externally of the housing to an obstruction in said blood vessel to destroy a portion of the obstruction; and ultrasound means borne by the housing for generating ultrasonic waves and having a piezoelectric portion adapted to generate electric signals, upon contact by ultrasonic waves echoed from a solid object, for analysis externally of the patient to create an image of the solid object.

Claim 2

A device permitting imaging and removing obstructions from blood vessels and the like of a patient, the device comprising, a flexible housing dimensioned for insertion within a blood vessel; laser means borne by the housing for transmitting laser energy externally of the housing to an obstruction in said blood vessel to destroy a portion of the obstruction; and ultrasound means borne by the housing for generating ultrasonic waves and having a piezoelectric portion adapted to generate electric signals, upon contact by ultrasonic waves echoed from a solid object, for analysis externally of the patient to create an image of the solid object.

Claim 5

A device for imaging and removing obstructions in blood vessels and the like comprising an elongated, substantially flexible housing dimensioned for insertion within a blood vessel and having a proximal end portion and an opposite, distal end portion, and providing a chamber communicating between the proximal end portion and distal end portion; a fiberoptic bundle mounted within the housing having a plurality of elongated fibers extended from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion, the fibers being disposed in predetermined spaced relation to each other, each fiber being adapted to conduct a laser beam from a source of laser energy and to transmit the beam externally of the housing to an obstruction to destroy a portion of the obstruction; and an ultrasound assembly borne by the housing having a piezoelectric portion and an electrode portion connected to the piezoelectric portion, the electrode portion being adapted to be connected to a source of energy to conduct electrical energy to the piezoelectric portion to cause the piezoelectric portion to generate ultrasonic waves, and the piezoelectric portion being adapted to generate electric signals upon contact thereof by ultrasonic waves echoed from a solid object, and the electrode portion being further adapted to conduct the electric signals from the piezoelectric portion to the source of energy for analysis of the signals to create an image of the solid object.

Claim 6

A device for imaging and removing obstructions in blood vessels and the like comprising an elongated, substantially flexible housing dimensioned for insertion within a blood vessel and having a proximal end portion and an opposite, distal end portion, and providing a chamber communicating between the proximal end portion and distal end portion; a fiberoptic bundle mounted within the housing having a plurality of elongated fibers extended from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion, the fibers being disposed in predetermined spaced relation to each other, each fiber being adapted to conduct a laser beam from a source of laser energy and to transmit the beam externally of the housing to an obstruction to destroy a portion of the obstruction; and an ultrasound assembly borne by the housing having a piezoelectric portion and an electrode portion connected to the piezoelectric portion, the electrode portion being adapted to be connected to a source of energy to conduct electrical energy to the piezoelectric portion to cause the piezoelectric portion to generate ultrasonic waves, and the piezoelectric portion being adapted to generate electric signals upon contact thereof by ultrasonic waves echoed from a solid object, and the electrode portion being further adapted to conduct the electric signals from the piezoelectric portion to the source of energy for analysis of the signals to create an image of the solid object.

Claim 18

A device for imaging and removing obstructions in blood vessels and the like comprising an elongated, substantially flexible tubular housing having a predetermined proximal end portion, an opposite externally open distal end portion spaced a predetermined distance from the proximal end portion and dimensioned for insertion within a blood vessel, and an internal chamber extending from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion; a fiberoptic bundle providing a plurality of fibers mounted in the housing chamber and disposed in predetermined spaced relation to each other, each fiber providing a distal terminus disposed within the chamber in the distal end portion of the housing and an opposite, proximal terminus, the proximal termini being collected in a connector portion adapted to be connected to a source of laser energy to conduct laser beams from the source axially through the fibers to transmit the laser beams externally of the housing through the open distal end portion to destroy obstructions disposed distally thereof; a piezoelectric portion adapted to generate ultrasonic waves of predetermined wavelengths in a predetermined range of frequencies upon the application of electrical impulses thereto and to generate electrical impulses upon the application of ultrasonic waves thereto; an electrode bundle mounted by the housing and connected to the piezoelectric portion, the electrode bundle providing a plurality of electrodes and being adapted to be connected to a source of electrical energy to conduct electrical impulses to the piezoelectric portion and further adapted to be connected to an analysis unit to conduct electrical impulses from the piezoelectric portion to the analysis unit for analysis thereby; and a tubular member extending within the chamber from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion of the housing and providing an externally communicating port defined in the distal end portion and a tubular connector extending from the proximal end portion and adapted for connection to an apparatus for hemodynamic measurements when the distal end portion is inserted within a blood vessel and blood is permitted to flow through the tubular member.

Claim 19

A device for imaging and removing obstructions in blood vessels and the like comprising an elongated, substantially flexible tubular housing having a predetermined proximal end portion, an opposite externally open distal end portion spaced a predetermined distance from the proximal end portion and dimensioned for insertion within a blood vessel, and an internal chamber extending from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion; a fiberoptic bundle providing a plurality of fibers mounted in the housing chamber and disposed in predetermined spaced relation to each other, each fiber providing a distal terminus disposed within the chamber in the distal end portion of the housing and an opposite, proximal terminus, the proximal termini being collected in a connector portion adapted to be connected to a source of laser energy to conduct laser beams from the source axially through the fibers to transmit the laser beams externally of the housing through the open distal end portion to destroy obstructions disposed distally thereof; a piezoelectric portion adapted to generate ultrasonic waves of predetermined wavelengths in a predetermined range of frequencies upon the application of electrical impulses thereto and to generate electrical impulses upon the application of ultrasonic waves thereto; an electrode bundle mounted by the housing and connected to the piezoelectric portion, the electrode bundle providing a plurality of electrodes and being adapted to be connected to a source of electrical energy to conduct electrical impulses to the piezoelectric portion and further adapted to be connected to an analysis unit to conduct electrical impulses from the piezoelectric portion to the analysis unit for analysis thereby; and a tubular member extending within the chamber from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion of the housing and providing an externally communicating port defined in the distal end portion and a tubular connector extending from the proximal end portion and adapted for connection to an apparatus for hemodynamic measurements when the distal end portion is inserted within a blood vessel and blood is permitted to flow through the tubular member.