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 system for enhancing an endoscopic therapeutic treatment, the system comprising:
 an endoscopic catheter, cannula or other functional probe having a predetermined length;   a vibration emitter for emitting transverse wave vibrations along the endoscopic catheter, cannula or other functional probe that propagate the length of the endoscopic catheter, cannula or other functional probe at an adjustable frequency and an adjustable amplitude;   apparatus for coupling the vibration emitter to the endoscopic catheter, cannula or other functional probe, wherein transverse waves are transmitted along the length thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  in which the adjustable amplitude of the vibrations emitted by the vibration emitter can be selected manually. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  in which the adjustable amplitude of the vibrations emitted by the vibration emitter can be pre-programmed. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  in which the adjustable frequency of the vibrations emitted by the vibration emitter can be selected manually. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  in which the adjustable frequency of the vibrations emitted by the vibration emitter can be pre-programmed. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  in which the vibration emitter operates at the adjustable frequency of between about 10 and about 3000 Hz. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  in which the vibration emitter operates at the adjustable frequency of between about 100 and about 1000 Hz. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6  in which the vibration emitter operates at the adjustable frequency of about 500 Hz. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  in which the vibration emitter comprises a motor selected from the group consisting of oscillating motors, rotary and other stepper motors, galvanometers, linear motors and out of balance or eccentrically weighted motors. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  in which the vibration emitter transmits linear motion to the catheter, cannula or other functional probe. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1  in which the vibration emitter transmits rotational motion to the catheter, cannula or other functional probe. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1  in which the vibration emitter transmits sinusoidal motion to the catheter, cannula or other functional probe. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1  in which the endoscopic catheter, cannula or other functional probe comprises an optical fiber having a diameter between about 100 um and about 1000 um. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1  in which the endoscopic catheter, cannula or other functional probe further comprises an optical fiber, the optical fiber further having a diameter between 100 μm and 1000 μm. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1  further comprises Doppler shifted ultrasound imaging machine, the Doppler shifted ultrasound imaging machine to visualize the tip of the endoscopic catheter, cannula or other functional probe during the treatment.