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)] | 24 Claims |
1. An apparatus comprising:
a catheter sized to fit within a wall of a blood vessel, wherein the catheter includes a distal end inserted into the blood vessel;
a balloon including a liquid inlet coupled to the catheter;
first and second electrodes coupled to the catheter within the balloon and aligned on a longitudinal axis along the length of the catheter, wherein the electrodes upon electrical discharge produce an unfocused radial pressure shock wave that propagates away from the longitudinal axis, and wherein one or both of the first and second electrodes do not intersect outward propagation of the unfocused radial pressure shock wave in a direction from the longitudinal axis of the catheter to the wall of the blood vessel;
a first radiopaque marker coupled to the catheter at a proximal end of the balloon and a second radiopaque marker coupled to the catheter at an opposite distal end of the balloon; and
the first and second electrodes positioned within the balloon between the first radiopaque marker and the second radiopaque marker.
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