Sonic Endovenous Catheter

Abstract

A device and method to improve the ultrasound visibility of a catheter placed inside the body is described. The catheter is sonically vibrated by an external driver device that transmits the acoustic vibration down the catheter and inside the body. An ultrasound transducer is used to pick up the ultrasound vibrations directly or detects the sonic vibrations using a Doppler mode ultrasound machine.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method to enhance visibility of a catheter device during an endovascular treatment, the method comprising:
 vibrating a catheter device, cannula or probe; and   ultrasonically imaging the catheter device, cannula or probe.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  in which the step of vibrating the catheter device, cannula or probe comprises providing a rotational, translational or longitudinal movement thereto. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  in which the catheter, cannula or probe is vibrated at a frequency of between about 10 Hz and about 3000 Hz. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  in which the catheter, cannula or probe is vibrated at a frequency of between about 100 Hz and about 1000 Hz. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  in which the catheter, cannula or probe is vibrated at a frequency of about 500 Hz. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  in which the vibration frequency and intensity of vibration is adjusted and optimized for maximum visibility using Doppler capability of an ultrasonic-imaging machine. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of coupling the vibrating device catheter or probe outside the body such that the vibrations are transmitted along the catheter into the body. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  in which the vibrating device is built into the catheter or probe and the vibrating is initiated from within the body. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of removably coupling the catheter to be vibrated to a handpiece that incorporates the vibrator. 
     
     
         10 . A method performing a medical treatment inside a body lumen or cavity under visualization comprising:
 introducing a catheter device, cannula or other functional probe into a body lumen or cavity;   vibrating the catheter device, cannula or other functional probe; and   ultrasonically imaging the catheter device, cannula or other functional probe.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising:
 coupling a vibration emitter to the catheter device, cannula or other functional probe, said vibration emitter selected from the group consisting of oscillating motors, rotary and other stepper motors, galvanometers, linear motors and out of balance or eccentrically weighted motors. 
 
     
     
         12 . A method to enhance visibility of a catheter device, cannula or other functional probe while performing endovascular treatment comprising:
 introducing an endoscopic catheter, cannula or other functional probe having a tip and a length into a vein, wherein the endoscopic catheter, cannula, or other functional probe comprises an optical fiber;   coupling a vibration emitter to the catheter, cannula or other functional probe;   using the vibration emitter to vibrate the catheter, cannula, or other functional probe such that transverse wave vibrations are generated along the catheter, cannula, or other functional probe that propagate the length of the catheter, cannula, or other functional probe at an adjustable frequency of between 10 and 3000 Hz inside the vein;   visualizing the tip of the endoscopic catheter, cannula or other functional probe.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 manually selecting an amplitude of the wave vibrations generated by the vibration emitter. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 manually selecting the adjustable frequency of the wave vibrations generated by the vibration emitter. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 selecting the vibration emitter from the group consisting of oscillating motors, rotary and other stepper motors, galvanometers, linear motors and out of balance or eccentrically weighted motors. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the optical fiber has a diameter between 100 μm and 1000 μm. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 delivering laser energy from the catheter, cannula, or other functional probe to the vein. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 visualizing the tip of the catheter, cannula or other functional probe using Doppler shifted ultrasound imaging. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 vibrating a catheter device, cannula or other functional probe, and ultrasonically imaging the catheter device, cannula or other functional probe by imposing a Doppler or equivalent frequency shift on the return ultrasound signal.