Ultrasound Catheter Having Improved Distal End

Abstract

An ultrasonic catheter has a flexible catheter body having a main lumen, a catheter body interior wall, and a catheter body open distal end. The ultrasonic catheter has an ultrasound transmission member disposed in the main lumen. The ultrasonic catheter has a distal tip that is disposed on the ultrasound transmission member distal end. The ultrasonic catheter includes an intermediate member having an intermediate member open proximal end, an intermediate member open distal end, and an intermediate member interior wall forming a hollow interior. The intermediate member is attached to the catheter body interior wall at the catheter body open distal end. The hollow interior has a smallest inner diameter adjacent the intermediate member open proximal end. The hollow interior configured to overlap the ultrasound transmission member distal end and at least a portion of the distal tip.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An ultrasonic catheter comprising:
 a flexible catheter body having a main lumen, a catheter body interior wall, and an catheter body open distal end;   an ultrasound transmission member disposed in the main lumen, the ultrasound transmission member having a proximal end that is configured to connect to a generating device and a ultrasound transmission member distal end;   a distal tip disposed on the ultrasound transmission member distal end; and   an intermediate member having an intermediate member open proximal end, an intermediate member open distal end, and an intermediate member interior wall forming a hollow interior, the hollow interior extends from the intermediate member open proximal end to the intermediate member open distal end, the intermediate member attached to the catheter body interior wall at the catheter body open distal end, the hollow interior having a smallest inner diameter adjacent the intermediate member open proximal end, the hollow interior configured to overlap the ultrasound transmission member distal end and at least a portion of the distal tip.   
     
     
         22 . The ultrasonic catheter of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 the intermediate member comprising:
 an intermediate member proximal cross-section having an intermediate member proximal cross-section area; and 
 an intermediate member distal cross-section having an intermediate member distal cross-section area, 
 wherein the intermediate member proximal cross-section area is less than the intermediate member distal cross-section area. 
   
     
     
         23 . The ultrasonic catheter of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 the intermediate member having a transition region disposed between the intermediate member open proximal end and the intermediate member open distal end, the intermediate member interior wall of the transition region having a form of flat and conical, round, tapered, and concave.   
     
     
         24 . The ultrasonic catheter of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 the intermediate member comprising:
 a transition region disposed between the intermediate member open proximal end and the intermediate member open distal end, the intermediate member interior wall of the transition region having a conical form; and 
 an intermediate member exterior wall forming a smooth, curved, conical form. 
   
     
     
         25 . The ultrasonic catheter of  claim 21 , wherein the intermediate member is configured to prevent separation of the distal tip from the flexible catheter body. 
     
     
         26 . The ultrasonic catheter of  claim 21 , wherein the intermediate member is configured to secure the flexible catheter body to the distal tip even if the ultrasound transmission member fractures, breaks, or splinters. 
     
     
         27 . The ultrasonic catheter of  claim 21 , wherein the intermediate member comprising a material selected from the group of epoxies, polymers, plastics and rubber. 
     
     
         28 . The ultrasonic catheter of  claim 21 , wherein the intermediate member extends distally beyond the catheter body open distal end. 
     
     
         29 . The ultrasonic catheter of  claim 21 , wherein the distal tip extends distally beyond the catheter body open distal end. 
     
     
         30 . The ultrasonic catheter of  claim 21 , comprising disposing a cap on the distal tip. 
     
     
         31 . The ultrasonic catheter of  claim 30 , further comprising:
 the cap comprising:
 a hollow bore configured to receive the distal tip; and 
 a cylindrical configuration with an opened proximal end and a bulbous distal end. 
   
     
     
         32 . An ultrasonic catheter comprising:
 a flexible catheter body having a main lumen, a catheter body interior wall, and an catheter body open distal end;   an ultrasound transmission member disposed in the main lumen, the ultrasound transmission member having a proximal end that is configured to connect to a generating device and a ultrasound transmission member distal end, the ultrasound transmission member extending longitudinally along a longitudinal axis of the flexible catheter body, the ultrasound transmission member having a plurality of diameters taken in a transverse direction to the longitudinal axis of the flexible catheter body, a diameter of the ultrasound transmission member is smallest at the ultrasound transmission member distal end;   a distal tip disposed on the ultrasound transmission member distal end, the distal tip having a proximal section, a dimensional step, and an enlarged distal section, the dimensional step configured to transition from the diameter of the ultrasound transmission member distal end to the enlarged distal section; and   an intermediate member having an intermediate member open proximal end, an intermediate member open distal end, and an intermediate member interior wall forming a hollow interior,   wherein the hollow interior is configured to overlap the ultrasound transmission member distal end and the proximal section and the dimensional step of the distal tip.   
     
     
         33 . The ultrasonic catheter of  claim 32 , wherein the intermediate member is configured to prevent separation of the distal tip from the flexible catheter body. 
     
     
         34 . The ultrasonic catheter of  claim 32 , wherein the intermediate member extends distally beyond the catheter body open distal end. 
     
     
         35 . The ultrasonic catheter of  claim 32 , wherein the distal tip further comprises a distal extension having a constant diameter that is smaller than any diameter taken at the enlarged distal section. 
     
     
         36 . The ultrasonic catheter of  claim 35 , comprising disposing a cap over at least a portion of the distal extension. 
     
     
         37 . The ultrasonic catheter of  claim 36 , further comprising:
 the cap comprising:
 a hollow bore configured to receive the distal tip; and 
 a cylindrical configuration with an opened proximal end and a bulbous distal end. 
   
     
     
         38 . The ultrasonic catheter of  claim 37 , wherein the cap further comprises:
 a cap proximal portion, a cap transition portion, and a cap distal portion, wherein the cap proximal portion has a cap proximal portion diameter that is larger than a cap distal portion diameter.   
     
     
         39 . The ultrasonic catheter of  claim 38 , wherein the cap transition portion is smooth without a step or edge. 
     
     
         40 . The ultrasonic catheter of  claim 37 , wherein the cap further comprises:
 a cap proximal portion, a first cap transition portion, an intermediate portion, a second transition portion, and a cap distal portion, wherein the cap proximal portion has a cap proximal portion diameter that is larger than a cap distal portion diameter, wherein the first transition portion is located between the cap distal portion and the intermediate portion, the second transition portion is located between the intermediate portion and the cap proximal portion, each of the first transition portion and the second transition portion may have a configuration selected from the group comprising a rounded configuration, a flat configuration, and a tapered configuration.