US 11,717,139 B2
Plasma creation via nonaqueous optical breakdown of laser pulse energy for breakup of vascular calcium
Daniel Massimini, Brooklyn Park, MN (US); Roger McGowan, Otsego, MN (US); Haiping Shao, Plymouth, MN (US); and Christopher A. Cook, Laguna Niguel, CA (US)
Assigned to Bolt Medical, Inc., Carlsbad, CA (US); and Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc., Maple Grove, MN (US)
Filed by Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc., Maple Grove, MN (US); and Bolt Medical, Inc., Carlsbad, CA (US)
Filed on May 14, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/874,065.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/965,069, filed on Jan. 23, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/863,506, filed on Jun. 19, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2020/0397230 A1, Dec. 24, 2020
Int. Cl. A61B 18/20 (2006.01); A61B 5/1459 (2006.01); A61B 1/00 (2006.01); A61B 5/027 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 1/00082 (2013.01) [A61B 5/027 (2013.01); A61B 5/1459 (2013.01); A61B 18/20 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00057 (2013.01)] 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A catheter system for treating a treatment site within or adjacent to a blood vessel, the catheter system comprising:
a power source;
a light guide that receives power from the power source, the light guide having a distal tip, the light guide emitting light energy in a direction away from the distal tip; and
a plasma target that is spaced apart from the distal tip of the light guide by a target gap distance, the plasma target being configured to receive light energy from the light guide so that a plasma is generated at the plasma target upon receiving the light energy from the light guide, the plasma target being at least partially formed from one of tungsten, tantalum, platinum, molybdenum, niobium, and iridium.