Systems with sonic visualization capability and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10863969-B2
Application number	US-201715435772-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 17, 2017
Priority date	Feb 18, 2016
Publication date	Dec 15, 2020
Grant date	Dec 15, 2020

Abstract

According to aspects of the present disclosure, a system for visualizing a target area may include an elongate shaft. The elongate shaft may include a distal portion, a lumen that extends longitudinally through the distal portion, and an opening at the distal end of the distal portion. The opening may be in communication with the lumen. The system also may include a visualization assembly housed within the distal portion of the elongate shaft. The visualization assembly may include a transducer array having a field of view in which the transducer array transceives sound waves. The field of view of the transducer array may cover at least part of the distal portion of the elongate shaft and the target area to facilitate visualization of the part of the distal portion of the elongate shaft and the target area.

First claim

We claim:

1. A system for visualizing a target area, comprising:
an elongate shaft, including:
a distal portion,
a lumen that extends longitudinally through the distal portion, and
a first opening at a distal end of the distal portion, wherein the first opening is in communication with the lumen; and

a visualization assembly housed within the distal portion of the elongate shaft, wherein the visualization assembly includes a transducer array having a field of view in which the transducer array transceives sound waves, and the field of view of the transducer array covers at least part of the distal portion of the elongate shaft and the target area to facilitate visualization of the part of the distal portion of the elongate shaft and the target area at a same time, wherein the transducer array includes a plate, and a second opening extends through the plate,
wherein a portion of the distal end of the distal portion of the elongate shaft includes a taper such that at least a portion of a radially outermost surface of the transducer array is exposed from the elongate shaft by the taper.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the transducer array surrounds at least a portion of the second opening.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the transducer array includes at least one ultrasonic transducer.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the ultrasonic transducer includes a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the elongate shaft includes a third opening at the distal end of the distal portion, and the system further includes an optical visualization assembly received in the third opening.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the elongate shaft has a distalmost end, and the transducer array includes at least one transducer configured to transmit sound waves toward a region distal to the distalmost end, and to receive sound waves from the region.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the transducer array includes at least one transducer on a side of the visualization assembly.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one transducer includes a plurality of plates, each of the plates has a plurality of transducers thereon, and the plates are arranged in a ring formation.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the transducer array includes at least one transducer configured to transmit sound waves toward a region lateral to the distal portion of the elongate shaft, and receive sound waves from the region.

10. The system of claim 1 , further including a control member coupled to the distal portion of the elongate shaft to exert a deflecting force on the distal portion, such that the visualization assembly deflects with the distal portion.

11. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a second elongate shaft disposed within the lumen and configured to move relative to the elongate shaft, wherein the plate is attached to a distal end of the second elongate shaft.

12. A system for visualizing a target area, comprising:
an introducer, including:
a first elongate shaft, and
a plurality of lumens in the first elongate shaft, wherein the plurality of lumens includes a first lumen that extends longitudinally through the first elongate shaft; and

a visualization assembly slidably received by the introducer, the visualization assembly including:
a second elongate shaft, and
a transducer array at a distal portion of the second elongate shaft, wherein the transducer array is configured to transceive sound waves for visualization of the target area, and to slide proximally and/or distally relative to the first elongate shaft within the first lumen, and wherein the transducer array includes a plate having an opening extending through the plate,

wherein a portion of a distal end of the first elongate shaft includes a taper such that at least a portion of a radially outermost surface of the transducer array is exposed from the first elongate shaft by the taper.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the introducer further includes an optical visualization assembly, and the optical visualization assembly includes an imaging device at a distal end of the introducer.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the transducer array is extendable distally beyond the distal end of the first elongate shaft.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the transducer array includes a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer array.

Assignees

• Boston Scient Scimed Inc

Inventors

• Wood Mark D
• Aquilino Paul D
• Hartman Ryan

Classifications

• A61M25/0067

  characterised by the distal end, e.g. tips (A61M25/0054, A61M25/04 take precedence; balloon catheters A61M25/10) · CPC title

• A61B8/4483

  characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer · CPC title

• B06B1/0292

  Electrostatic transducers, e.g. electret-type · CPC title

• A61B8/12

  in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters · CPC title

• A61B17/3478

  Endoscopic needles, e.g. for infusion (biopsy needles A61B10/0233; catheters with injection needles A61M25/0067) · CPC title