Ultra-thin acoustic transducer and balloon catheter using same in imaging array subassembly
Patent 4841977 Issued on June 27, 1989. Estimated Expiration Date: May 26, 2007. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
An array of miniature ultrasound crystals mounted on preassembled subassembly which is, in turn, mounted on a small lumen catheter provides dimensional and other quantitative information relating to arterial wall geometry and character at disease or obstruction sites. Balloons also mounted to the catheter make it possible to use the catheter for the angioplasty (PCTA) procedure while actually imaging, in real time, the artery being dilatated and unblocked by the procedure. Efficient, highly miniature transducers are presented along with several different configurations for catheter structure containing fluid lumen, through-lumen, and electrical microcable assemblies for conducting electrical signals to and from the transducers.
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May 26, 2007. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
