Rotational intravascular ultrasound probe and method of manufacturing same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11759172-B2
Application number	US-202217965008-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 13, 2022
Priority date	Dec 19, 2008
Publication date	Sep 19, 2023
Grant date	Sep 19, 2023

Abstract

A rotational intravascular ultrasound probe for insertion into a vasculature and a method of manufacturing the same. The rotational intravascular ultrasound probe comprises an elongate catheter having a flexible body and an elongate transducer shaft disposed within the flexible body. The transducer shaft comprises a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, a drive shaft extending from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion, an ultrasonic transducer disposed near the distal end portion for obtaining a circumferential image through rotation, and a transducer housing molded to the drive shaft and the ultrasonic transducer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rotational intravascular ultrasound probe, comprising:
a catheter configured to be positioned within a blood vessel of a patient;
a drive cable disposed within the catheter and configured to rotate, wherein the drive cable comprises a longitudinal axis, a proximal portion, and a distal portion;
a housing comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion, wherein the proximal portion of the housing is attached to the distal portion of the drive cable; and
a stack of layers disposed within the housing at a location distal to where the proximal portion of the housing is attached to the distal portion of the drive cable,
wherein the stack of layers extends in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis,
wherein the stack of layers comprises an ultrasonic transducer configured to obtain a circumferential image of the blood vessel,
wherein the housing and the stack of layers are configured to rotate during rotation of the drive cable,
wherein a bottom layer of the stack of layers is adjacent to the housing,
wherein the bottom layer comprises a front surface and an opposite, back surface that are defined in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and
wherein the housing directly physically contacts the back surface of the bottom layer.

2. The rotational intravascular ultrasound probe of claim 1 , wherein the housing has at least one of a cylindrical shape, a linear shape, or a domed shape.

3. The rotational intravascular ultrasound probe of claim 1 , further comprising an electrical cable in communication with the ultrasonic transducer.

4. The rotational intravascular ultrasound probe of claim 3 , further comprising a connector disposed at the proximal portion of the catheter.

5. The rotational intravascular ultrasound probe of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises an injection molded polymer.

6. The rotational intravascular ultrasound probe of claim 5 , wherein the injection molded polymer comprises at least one of absorbers, scatterers, metal oxide particles, or hollow microspheres.

7. The rotational intravascular ultrasound probe of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises channels or receptacles configured to deliver or receive material within the blood vessel of the patient.

8. The rotational intravascular ultrasound probe of claim 1 , wherein a front surface of the ultrasonic transducer is angled relative to a rotational axis of the ultrasonic transducer.

9. The rotational intravascular ultrasound probe of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic transducer comprises a lead zirconate titanate (PZT) layer of the stack of layers.

10. The rotational intravascular ultrasound probe of claim 1 , wherein the stack of layers comprises at least one matching layer and at least one electrode layer.

11. The rotational intravascular ultrasound probe of claim 1 , wherein the bottom layer comprises a matching layer.

12. The rotational intravascular ultrasound probe of claim 1 , wherein the bottom layer comprises a layer with a plastic or an epoxy.

13. The rotational intravascular ultrasound probe of claim 1 , wherein the housing physically contacts a first side surface of one or more layers of the stack of layers.

14. The rotational intravascular ultrasound probe of claim 13 , wherein the housing physically contacts an opposite, second side surface of the one or more layers of the stack of layers.

Assignees

• Philips Image Guided Therapy Corp

Inventors

• Davies Stephen Charles
• Hossack Norman H
• Smith Peter

Classifications

• G01S15/8952

  using discrete, multiple frequencies · CPC title

• G01S15/894

  by rotation about a single axis · CPC title

• G01S7/52079

  Constructional features (constructional features of transducers B06B; mounting transducers G10K11/00; constructional features of ultrasonic medical diagnostic devices A61B8/44) · CPC title

• A61B5/0084 Primary

  for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters (A61B5/1459 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B8/445 Primary

  Details of catheter construction · CPC title