US 12,011,184 B2
Methods and apparatus for plaque disruption
Motasim Sirhan, Los Altos, CA (US); Benjamyn Serna, Gilroy, CA (US); Bozena Treadwell, Aptos, CA (US); and John Yan, Los Gatos, CA (US)
Assigned to Elixir Medical Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US)
Filed by Elixir Medical Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US)
Filed on Jul. 12, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/863,265.
Application 17/863,265 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2022/022213, filed on Mar. 28, 2022.
Application 17/863,265 is a continuation of application No. 16/786,736, filed on Feb. 10, 2020, granted, now 11,622,872.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/322,372, filed on Mar. 22, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/287,813, filed on Dec. 9, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/240,811, filed on Sep. 3, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/200,794, filed on Mar. 29, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0338889 A1, Oct. 27, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 17/22 (2006.01); A61F 2/24 (2006.01); A61M 25/10 (2013.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/22 (2013.01) [A61F 2/2418 (2013.01); A61F 2/2436 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00783 (2013.01); A61B 2017/22001 (2013.01); A61B 2017/22051 (2013.01); A61B 2017/22098 (2013.01); A61F 2250/006 (2013.01)] 26 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. Apparatus for treating calcification on a wall in a patient's body lumen, said apparatus comprising:
a balloon catheter including a catheter body having a proximal end and a distal segment;
an expandable polymeric balloon mounted on the distal segment of the catheter body, said expandable polymeric balloon having an outer polymer surface configured to be displaced radially outwardly toward an inner surface of the body lumen wall; and
a plurality of discrete plaque-disrupting metal features distributed over the outer surface of the expandable balloon;
wherein the plurality of discrete plaque-disrupting metal features consist of metal structures having (a) bottoms which are attached directly to the outer surface of the expandable balloon and (b) convex rounded upper surfaces configured to disrupt the calcification when the expandable balloon is expanded within the body lumen, wherein each of the discrete plaque-disrupting features applies an independent force to the vessel wall; and
wherein the discrete plaque-disrupting metal features are axially offset from circumferentially adjacent discrete plaque-disrupting metal features; and
wherein at least some of the plurality of discrete plaque-disrupting metal features are solid metal spheres, partial spheres, or hemispheres with flat or concave bottoms attached to the outer surface of the expandable balloon.