CPC A61B 17/22012 (2013.01) [A61B 17/22004 (2013.01); A61B 17/2202 (2013.01); A61B 17/22022 (2013.01); A61B 17/22029 (2013.01); A61B 17/225 (2013.01); A61B 18/245 (2013.01); A61B 18/26 (2013.01); A61H 9/0057 (2013.01); A61H 23/008 (2013.01); G10K 11/28 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00867 (2013.01); A61B 17/22 (2013.01); A61B 2017/22014 (2013.01); A61B 2017/22024 (2013.01); A61B 2017/22025 (2013.01); A61B 2017/22039 (2013.01); A61B 2017/22051 (2013.01); A61B 2017/22054 (2013.01); A61B 2017/22067 (2013.01); A61B 2017/22079 (2013.01); A61B 2017/22082 (2013.01); A61B 2017/22084 (2013.01); A61B 2017/2212 (2013.01); A61B 2017/2253 (2013.01); A61B 17/2255 (2013.01); A61H 2201/14 (2013.01); A61H 2201/1664 (2013.01); A61N 2007/0008 (2013.01)] | 19 Claims |
1. An apparatus including a catheter sized for insertion in a blood vessel comprising:
multiple pairs of electrodes coupled to and along a length of the catheter between a proximal end and distal end of the catheter, wherein each pair of electrodes is stationary relative to the catheter, and wherein each pair of electrodes is positioned to produce shock waves without generating heat that ablates tissue of the blood vessel;
a balloon that encloses a fluid around the multiple pairs of electrodes; and
an electronic controller operably coupled to the multiple pairs of electrodes, wherein the controller includes software programmed to fire the multiple pairs of electrodes to produce shock waves at least one of simultaneously, sequentially and in a predetermined pattern.
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