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 for reducing pain comprising the step of vibrating a catheter, a cannula or other functional probe endoscopically placed inside a vein. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of timing the vibrations to distract the patient and overwhelm the nerves in the area of treatment to reduce the sensation of pain in the area of treatment. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step timing the vibrations are timed to distract the patient and overwhelm nerves in the area of treatment and injecting local anesthesia or tumescent anesthesia. 
     
     
         4 . A method for reducing pain associated with the endoscopic insertion and/or moving of a catheter, cannula or other functional probe, the method comprising the step of vibrating the catheter, cannula or other functional probe placed inside a vein. 
     
     
         5 . A method for reducing pain associated with the endoscopic insertion and/or moving of an endoscopic catheter, 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;   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;   timing the transverse wave vibrations to distract the patient and overwhelm the nerves in the area of treatment to reduce the sensation of pain in the area of treatment.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising:
 timing the vibrations to distract the patient and overwhelm the nerves in the area of treatment to reduce the sensation of pain in the area of treatment. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising:
 visualizing the tip of the catheter, cannula or other functional probe. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the endoscopic catheter, cannula, or other functional probe further comprises an optical fiber. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising:
 manually selecting an amplitude of the wave vibrations generated by the vibration emitter. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising:
 manually selecting the adjustable frequency of the wave vibrations generated by the vibration emitter. 
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 5  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. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the optical fiber has a diameter between 100 μm and 1000 μm. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising:
 delivering laser energy from the endoscopic catheter, cannula, or other functional probe to the vein. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising:
 visualizing the tip of the endoscopic catheter, cannula or other functional probe using Doppler shifted ultrasound imaging. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising:
 vibrating the endoscopic catheter, cannula or other functional probe, and ultrasonically imaging the endoscopic catheter, cannula or other functional probe by imposing a Doppler or equivalent frequency shift on the return ultrasound signal. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising:
 selecting and adjusting the vibration emitter such that linear motion is transmitted to the endoscopic catheter, cannula or other functional probe. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising:
 selecting and adjusting the vibration emitter such that rotational motion is transmitted to the endoscopic catheter, cannula or other functional probe. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising:
 selecting and adjusting the vibration emitter such that sinusoidal motion is transmitted to the endoscopic catheter, cannula or other functional probe.