Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B18/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body
  • A61B18/04—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body by heating
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61N—ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY
  • A61N7/00—Ultrasound therapy
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B18/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body
  • A61B18/18—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body by applying electromagnetic radiation, e.g. microwaves
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
  • A61B5/0048—Detecting, measuring or recording by applying mechanical forces or stimuli
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B8/00—Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves
  • A61B8/48—Diagnostic techniques
  • A61B8/485—Diagnostic techniques involving measuring strain or elastic properties
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61N—ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY
  • A61N7/00—Ultrasound therapy
  • A61N7/02—Localised ultrasound hyperthermia
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B17/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods
  • A61B2017/00017—Electrical control of surgical instruments
  • A61B2017/00022—Sensing or detecting at the treatment site
  • A61B2017/00106—Sensing or detecting at the treatment site ultrasonic
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B17/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods
  • A61B17/22—Implements for squeezing-off ulcers or the like on inner organs of the body; Implements for scraping-out cavities of body organs, e.g. bones; for invasive removal or destruction of calculus using mechanical vibrations; for removing obstructions in blood vessels, not otherwise provided for
  • A61B2017/22001—Angioplasty, e.g. PCTA
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B17/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods
  • A61B17/22—Implements for squeezing-off ulcers or the like on inner organs of the body; Implements for scraping-out cavities of body organs, e.g. bones; for invasive removal or destruction of calculus using mechanical vibrations; for removing obstructions in blood vessels, not otherwise provided for
  • A61B2017/22081—Treatment of vulnerable plaque
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61N—ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY
  • A61N7/00—Ultrasound therapy
  • A61N2007/0078—Ultrasound therapy with multiple treatment transducers

Definitions

• the invention relates to modifying the mechanical and/or biological properties of blood vessel walls, for example, for treating vulnerable plaque or aneurysms.
• Vulnerable plaques are atherosclerotic plaques causing in most cases mild to moderate narrowing of the arteries, and are comprised of a soft lipid core, and a very thin fibrous cap separating between the inner core and the lumen.
• the term "vulnerable” refers to the high tendency of these soft plaques to burst or rupture.
• Several factors may influence a plaque's stability and its tendency to rupture, including mechanical injury, inflammation, and infection. Progressive thrombosis and vasospasm may follow plaque rupture.
• Vulnerable plaques can be found in many blood vessels, including, but not limited to, coronary arteries, carotid arteries and peripheral arteries.
• vulnerable plaque Most of the vulnerable plaques do not bulge inward. Instead, as a plaque grows, it often protrudes outward, into the wall of the artery, rather than into the channel-lumen where blood flows. In the following, vulnerable plaque is discussed as a plaque mass confined between a front surface,
• a cover or a cap facing the inside of the blood vessel, and a back surface, forming part of the blood vessel and separating the blood vessel from its surroundings.
• Vulnerable Plaque will refer in this document to any kind of rupture-prone plaque including, but not limited to coronary thin cap lipid reach plaques. All types of atherosclerotic plaques with high likelihood of thrombotic complications and rapid progression are considered vulnerable plaques, as discussed in the article "From Vulnerable Plaque to Vulnerable Patient. A Call for New Definitions and Risk Assessment Strategies: Part I", Naghavi M., et al, Circulation. 2003; 108: 1664-1672, the contents of which is incorporated herein by reference. US 6,475,210 (hereinafter US '210), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, describes treating vulnerable plaque by applying to it energy, which may be ultrasound energy.
• This reference refers to the vulnerable plaque as being made of a proteinic cap covering a lipid pool, and teaches congealing the lipid pool. Such congealing apparently requires heating the lipids to at least 85°C, according to the article "Structural Basis for Thermal Stability of Human Low- Density Lipoprotein", Jayaraman S., et al., Biochemistry 2005, 44, pp 3965-3971 , the contents of which is incorporated herein by reference. US patent application publication No.
• An aneurysm is a localized, blood-filled dilation of a blood vessel.
• Aneurysms cavities are in many cases filled with blood thromboses (clots), generated due to relatively slow and circulatory blood flow inside the aneurysm cavity.
• Aneurysms are usually accompanied with thinning of the blood vessel wall.
• Aneurysms most commonly occur in arteries at the base of the brain or in the aorta, The dilatation in a blood vessel can burst and lead to death at any time. The larger an aneurysm becomes, the more likely it is to burst.
• Current therapies include open surgery and endovascular stent-grafting. Some suggestions to treat aneurysm with heat were made, for instance, in U.S. Patent
• blood vessel wall abnormality will be used to refer collectively to conditions where a blood vessel wall is in particular risk for rupture or stenosis, and is susceptible to improvement upon biological or mechanical stabilization. Examples for such conditions include, for instance, vulnerable plaque and aneurysm.
• aneurysm encompasses, for instance, aortic aneurysm, thoracic aortic aneurysm, abdominal aortic aneurysm, cerebral aneurysm, and peripheral aneurysms.
• An aspect of some embodiments of the invention relates to stabilizing blood vessel wall abnormality by heating the blood vessel having the abnormality as to achieve stabilization of the abnormality to an extent that reduces the risk associated with the abnormality. For example, reducing the risk of plaque rupture, or reducing the risk of aneurysm burst.
• the abnormality itself or a portion thereof is heated.
• the extent of stabilization may depend on the temperature to which the abnormality is heated and to the period of time, during which the abnormality is maintained in this temperature. Usually, higher temperatures require shorter heating times. Changes in the mechanical properties of some parts of the vulnerable plaque, be it caused by heating or other methods, is sometimes collectively referred to herein as mechanical stabilization of the plaque.
• stabilization is considered sufficient, and treatment is stopped, when a parameter monitored during treatment stops changing or starts changing more slowly.
• the monitored parameter is optionally related to the stabilization.
• Changing more slowly may be for instance, a change that is slower by some predetermined portion from the fastest change monitored during treatment.
• predetermined portions include, for instance, 50%, 75%, 90%, 99%, and 99.9%.
• the predetermined portion is at least 50% or at least any of the other above-mentioned examples of predetermined portions.
• the treatment is stopped when the monitored parameter stops changing.
• changing pace is measured as an average over time, as to smooth out fluctuations.
• An embodiment of the invention provides a method for treating vulnerable plaque, the method comprising identifying a vulnerable plaque, and heating the identified vulnerable plaque to achieve stiffening of the plaque to an extent that decrease it's vulnerability to rupture.
• An embodiment of the invention provides a method for treating aneurysm, the method comprising identifying an aneurysm, and heating the identified aneurysm to achieve stiffening of the blood vessel wall at the aneurysm to an extent that decrease the probability that the aneurysm will burst without damaging nearby tissue.
• Vulnerable plaque may be identified using imaging methods such as grayscale intravascular- ultrasound (IVUS), Spectral Analysis Intravascular Ultrasound, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), MRI, CT etc., that are capable of providing detailed data regarding the morphological and histological contents of the arterial wall.
• imaging methods such as grayscale intravascular- ultrasound (IVUS), Spectral Analysis Intravascular Ultrasound, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), MRI, CT etc.
• a vulnerable plaque may be detected by a light treatment catheter analogous to that described in US '210.
• the vulnerable plaque may be detected from outside the blood vessel.
• a device for detecting the vulnerable plaque may be positioned through an incision in the patient. The device may then detect the vulnerable plaque without the need for catheterization. During such a procedure, detection may be achieved during open surgery or in a minimally invasive manner.
• the vulnerable plaque may be detected from outside of the patient, such as with an imaging device (e.g., devices utilizing magnetic resonance, ultrasound, infra-red, fluorescence, visible light, radio waves, x-ray, etc.).
• an imaging device e.g., devices utilizing magnetic resonance, ultrasound, infra-red, fluorescence, visible light, radio waves, x-ray, etc.
• Aneurysms are much easier to detect and identify, and are many times detected accidently, when a patient is imaged for other reason.
• Aneurysms may be detected, for instance, by X-ray, ultrasound, or computed tomography (CT) scan.
• CT computed tomography
• heating to a sufficient extent is heating to cause stiffening of the plaque or blood vessel wall because of substantial crosslinking of collagen.
• Substantial crosslinking is crosslinking that causes shrinkage of the collagen in the plaque or blood vessel wall to at most 70%, optionally at most 50% of the collagen's size before treatment.
• Plaque geometrical changes can be measured by some of the imaging technique used for its imaging and identification, supplying the clinician with morphometric data regarding the plaque's boundaries and its overall area and volume.
• One way of determining that the blood vessel wall abnormality has been treated to be stiff enough is that value of ultrasound backscatter coefficient from the abnormality increased, in comparison to its value before treatment, in at least a predetermined factor.
• the predetermined factor may be any number not smaller than 5, for instance 5, 7, 10, 50, 100, 1000.
• Backscatter coefficient is defined and explained, for instance, in "Ultrasound properties of liver tissue during heating", Gertner M. R., et al, Ultrasound in Med. & Biol. Vol. 23, No. 9, pp. 1395-1403, 1997.
• Ultrasonic Elastography Another way to determine stiffness change in a blood vessel wall is by Ultrasonic Elastography, which is an imaging modality described, for instance, in Ophir J, et. al. "Elastography: a quantitative method for imaging the elasticity of biological tissues", published at Ultrasonic Imaging vol. 13, p.111-134 1991.
• heating is applied using ultrasound, which may be applied to the plaque from inside the blood vessel, as described, for instance, by US '210, or from outside the blood vessel, as described, for instance, by US '525.
• the publications US '210 and US '525 enable a skilled person applying ultrasound to plaque, nevertheless, they do not teach using ultrasound in a manner which suffices to substantially crosslink the collagen in the plaque tissue without causing further damage to adjacent tissues, for instance, congealing the lipids in the plaque- mass.
• the US is applied with non-focused ultrasonic energy from inside the blood vessel lumen (by a catheter-like device), the most heated region will be near the cap of the plaque.
• the collagen in the plaque tissues undergoes cross-linking, most of the ultrasonic energy will be reflected by the plaque tissue or absorbed by it, and much less energy will be transmitted to adjacent tissues.
• US reflectance from cross-linked collagen in the cap may reduce or prevent excess heating of the heart muscle or the pericardium.
• the crosslinking of the collagen in the aneurysm wall limits or prevents excess heating of adjacent esophagus or other organs adjacent to the external aortic wall in the aneurysm region.
• US heating is applied to vulnerable plaque to heat proteins in the plaque to between about 60 0 C and about 80 0 C for about 1 to 3 minutes.
• US heating is applied to aneurysm to heat proteins in the blood vessel wall to between about 60 0 C and about 80 0 C for about 1 to 3 minutes.
• the arterial wall abnormality is heated with US, and US backscatter and/or reflections from the plaque is detected.
• ultrasound sonication (ultrasonic energy transmission) is stopped.
• the sonication is stopped automatically, with a closed-loop mechanism, which monitors reflection, and terminates heating upon detecting a predetermined change in the detected backscatter.
• the predetermined change is optionally a change in one or more of intensity, frequency, or any other ultrasound characteristic. In some cases, cross-linking the collagen might be associated with shape change in the blood vessel.
• the shape change might include partial or whole occlusion of the blood vessel.
• a stent is deployed in the blood vessel to prevent occlusion of the blood vessel, to cause the stiffened blood vessel to have a desired final shape, to prevent releasing of a blood clot, or to be used for any usage of such stents that are known to the trained professional, like drug eluting stents.
• the stent is at least partially ultrasound-transparent, such that the stent may be deployed before ultrasound sonication.
• the stent is heat conductive, and susceptible to heating by US, such that in practice, the US heats the stent and the stent heats the tissue behind it.
• the stent has openings in a mesh-like structure, and the tissue sonication is done directly through these openings.
• the tissue is treated by ultrasonic energy as described in the embodiments in US '210 in general and that relate to figures 2-7 in US '210, but with treatment parameters as described herein.
• the ultrasonic sonication is applied to plaque sites that are not considered rupture-prone, but are suspected to evolve to become rupture-prone plaques.
• a method of stabilizing blood vessel wall abnormality comprising: (a) ultrasonically heating at least a portion of the blood vessel wall having the abnormality; (b) monitoring a parameter related to a property of at least a portion of the heated portion of the blood vessel wall, and
• ultrasonically heating comprises heating at least a portion of the abnormality.
• the heating is configured to cause at least a portion of the collagen in the heated blood vessel wall 100% cross-linking.
• the heating is to a temperature of 60 - 80 0 C.
• the parameter is related to the stiffness of a portion of the blood vessel.
• the parameter is ultrasound reflection.
• the parameter is ultrasound backscatter.
• the parameter is related to cross-linking degree of collagen in at least a portion of the heated abnormality.
• monitoring comprises elastography, for instance, ultrasound elastography.
• stabilizing comprises mechanical stabilization.
• stabilizing comprises biological stabilization.
• monitoring the property comprises magnetic resonance imaging.
• the treated blood vessel is an artery.
• the abnormality is vulnerable plaque.
• the abnormality is aneurysm.
• the heating causes full cross-linking of collagen in at least a portion of the heated blood vessel wall.
• the heating causes at least 50% of the blood vessel abnormality collagen to shrink in at least 50% of its length before heating.
• ultrasonically heating comprises stiffening of a vulnerable plaque tissue as to decrease the plaque vulnerability to rupture.
• ultrasonically heating comprises stiffening of aneurysm tissue so as to decrease the tendency of the aneurysm to rupture.
• ultrasonically heating comprises reducing the aneurysm diameter.
• ultrasonically heating comprises noninvasively applying ultrasound to the blood vessel abnormality.
• noninvasively applying ultrasound to the blood vessel comprises focusing ultrasound radiation on a portion of said blood vessel.
• noninvasively applying ultrasound to the blood vessel comprises invasively applying ultrasound radiation on a portion of said blood vessel, optionally from within the blood vessel having the abnormality.
• the method comprises deploying a stent in the blood vessel.
• said deploying is before said heating.
• heating is for a period of between 0.1 and 1000 seconds.
• heating is for a period of between 15 and 600 seconds.
• heating is for a period of between 30 and 300 seconds.
• heating is for a period of at least 20 seconds.
• heating is for a period afbetween 20 and 60 seconds.
• an apparatus for treating blood vessel wall comprising: a catheter; an ultrasound emitter mounted on the catheter and adapted for emitting ultrasound at a portion of the blood vessel wall; a receiver mounted on the catheter and adapted for receiving ultrasound; and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to stop ultrasound emission by the emitter upon receiving ultrasound signal with a predetermined parameter by the receiver.
• the receiver is an ultrasound receiver.
• the predetermined parameter is a ratio between intensity of a currently received signal and intensity of received ultrasound before treatment. In an embodiment of the invention, the predetermined parameter is a ratio between a rate at which a received signal is changing last received and a rate at which a received signal was changing earlier in treatment.
• the ultrasound emitter and receiver are the same.
• a single ultrasound transducer is configured to cyclically receive and emit ultrasound.
• the ultrasound emitter is configured to emit ultrasound in frequencies of 1-50 MHz.
• the apparatus comprises a manual control, configured to allow a user to control ultrasound emission parameters and/or ultrasound detection parameters.
• the manual control is configured to allow a user to stop ultrasound emission.
• the apparatus is configured to provide treatment in predetermined power/time settings, so as to stiffen a wall of the blood vessel.
• the apparatus is configured to provide treatment in predetermined power/time settings, so as to block vasa vasorum.
• the vulnerable plaque comprises collagen, and said heating fully cross-links at least a portion of said collagen.
• a method of treating a subject comprising:
• a method of treating a subject comprising:
• the abnormality comprises vulnerable plaque.
• the abnormality comprises aneurysm.
• treating comprises reducing a risk of artery stenosis.
• Fig. 1 is a schematic illustration of a blood vessel with vulnerable plaque during treatment according to an embodiment of the invention
• Fig. 2 schematically illustrates the blood vessel of Fig. 1 after treatment according to an embodiment of the invention
• Fig. 3 schematically illustrates a blood vessel with a stent 60 supporting it during treatment according to an embodiment of the invention
• FIG. 4 schematically illustrates vulnerable plaque treatment utilizing a balloon according to an embodiment of the invention
• Fig. 5 schematically illustrates the blood vessel of Fig. 1 after stent-assistant treatment according to an embodiment of the invention
• Fig. 6 is a schematic illustration of a blood vessel with aneurysm during treatment according to an embodiment of the invention
• Fig. 7 schematically illustrates the blood vessel of Fig. 6 after treatment according to an embodiment of the invention
• FIG. 8 schematically illustrates aneurysm treatment utilizing a balloon according to an embodiment of the invention
• Fig. 9 schematically illustrates the blood vessel of Fig. 6 after stent-assistant treatment according to an embodiment of the invention
• Fig. 10 is a flowchart of actions to be taken in carrying out a method for treating vulnerable plaque in accordance with an embodiment of the invention
• Fig. 11 is a block diagram of an apparatus for treating vulnerable plaque in accordance with an embodiment of the invention
• Fig. 12A and Fig. 12B are schematic illustrations of arrays of ultrasound emitters and receivers according to embodiments of the present invention.
• Figs. 13 and 14 are photographs of artery portions treated in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
• a treating method comprises identifying vulnerable plaque.
• Vulnerable plaque may be identified using imaging methods such as grayscale intravascular-ultrasound (IVUS) 1 Spectral Analysis Intravascular Ultrasound, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), MRI, CT etc., that are capable of providing detailed data regarding the morphological and histological contents of the arterial wall.
• IVUS grayscale intravascular-ultrasound
• OCT Optical Coherence Tomography
• a vulnerable plaque may be detected by a light treatment catheter of the kind described in US '210.
• the vulnerable plaque may be detected from outside the blood vessel.
• a device for detecting the vulnerable plaque may be positioned through an incision in the patient. The device may then detect the vulnerable plaque without the need for catheterization.
• the vulnerable plaque may be detected from outside of the patient, such as with an imaging device (e.g., devices utilizing magnetic resonance, ultrasound, infra-red, fluorescence, visible light, radio waves, x-ray, etc.).
• an imaging device e.g., devices utilizing magnetic resonance, ultrasound, infra-red, fluorescence, visible light, radio waves, x-ray, etc.
• the strategy for detecting the vulnerable plaque may vary from the described methods. Numerous methods and devices for the detection of vulnerable plaque may be adapted for use with the present invention.
• FIG. 1-5 depict embodiments of the invention in the context of treating vulnerable plaque
• Figs. 6-10 depict embodiments of the invention in the context of treating aneurysms.
• drawings are provided only for treating these two abnormalities, various embodiments of the invention are useful in treating other prone to failure wall vessel abnormalities.
• Fig. 1 is a schematic illustration of a blood vessel (10) having an inner surface (12) and an outer surface (14) also known as adventitia.
• the lumen of the blood vessel is defined by inner surface 12.
• a vulnerable plaque (16) Vulnerable plaques usually protrude out of the back surface of the blood vessel much more than of the front surface.
• Vulnerable plaque 16 is shown to include a cap 18 and mass 20.
• the cap is in the boundary between the plaque's soft thrombogenic core 20 and the blood vessel lumen, and it contains mainly collagen.
• the cap is made of fibrotic tissue.
• the mass of the plaque (20) is not uniform but is made of patches of different tissues like fibro-fatty, fibrotic, calcified and necrotic regions (22)
• a catheter 50
• an array 52
• Ultrasound is emitted from at least the elements that face the plaque.
• the target of the ultrasonic heating is the vasa vasorum of the plaque, located inside the plaque mass and in the adventitia 14 of blood vessel 10.
• heating is configured to block the vasa vasorum inside the plaque tissue volume.
• Targeting optionally comprises focusing ultrasonic energy. Focusing US energy is described, for instance, in US Patent 5,906,580 and Patent Application Publication Nos. 2006/058678 and 2007/016039 (focusing ultrasound applied non-invasively from outside the body) and US Patent Application Publication 2006/0224090 (focusing with an ultrasound catheter).
• targeting comprises heating so as to allow blood flow to efficiently cool non-targeted tissue.
• one or more of the elements 54 is used as a receiver, receiving ultrasound energy reflected (and/or scattered) from cap 18 of plaque 16, to allow monitoring and control of the stabilization process.
• treatment and monitoring are carried out on separate times, for instance: each 1 sec of treatment is followed with 50 msec of monitoring, during which treatment is paused.
• US emission may be stopped, and the catheter 50 is moved along the blood vessel, optionally, in order to identify other vulnerable plaques, and/or stabilize them.
• Fig. 2 shows the blood vessel of Fig. 1 after treatment.
• Plaque 16 is shown to remain as a separate entity inside the blood-vessel wall, having well-defined borders.
• the plaque may change its orientation, because tissue 30, which is nearest to the ultrasonic transducer undergoes the largest shrinking, and this shrinking squeezes the plaque from near the transducer away from the transducer.
• This shrinking also causes an untreated blood vessel portion (32) facing the treated one to get closer to the treated tissue (30) and this way the diameter of the blood vessel is reduced in the vicinity of the treated plaque.
• Fig. 3 shows blood vessel 10 with a stent 60 supporting it during treatment.
• the stent is deployed to support the blood vessel in plaque-free areas (12'), without contacting the cap (18) of the plaque, to avoid any chance of rupture of the plaque by the stent.
• stent 60 deployment of stent 60 is carried out as depicted in Fig. 4, which schematically shows a balloon 70, having three portions (A, B, and C). Portion B is of smaller diameter than portions A and C, and thus expands stent 60 to a lesser extent.
• the balloon 70 is shrunk and withdrawn from the blood vessel, and catheter 50 is inserted to stabilize the plaque as shown in Fig. 3.
• US transmitters are inside balloon 70, and heat the plaque through the balloon surface.
• plaque 16 is shown to remain as a separate entity inside the blood-vessel wall, having well- defined borders and different orientation than it had before treatment.
• the orientation may be different, because tissue 30, which is nearest to the ultrasonic transducer undergoes the largest shrinking, and this shrinking squeezes the plaque from near the transducer away from the transducer.
• Stent 60 prevents the diameter of the blood vessel from being reduced in the vicinity of the treated plaque. In some embodiments, the stent does not prevent diameter reduction of the blood vessel, but controls it to be small enough not to interrupt blood flow in the vessel in a dangerous degree.
• Fig. 6 is a schematic illustration of a blood vessel (110) having an inner surface (12) and an outer surface (14). The lumen of the blood vessel is defined by inner surface 12. Along a portion of the circumference of blood vessel 110 there is shown an aneurysm (116). Aneurysm 116 is shown to hold a blood clot 120.
• the ultrasonic absorption coefficient of blood clots is smaller than that of blood vessel walls, therefore, blood clots heat by ultrasound less than blood vessel walls.
• a catheter carrying an array (52) of ultrasound elements 54.
• Ultrasound is emitted from at least the elements that face the anneurysm.
• one or more of the elements 54 is used as a receiver, receiving ultrasound energy reflected (and/or scattered) from aneurysm 116 to allow monitoring and control of the stabilization process.
• the ultrasound is focused to a treatment focus 122. Alternatively, no focusing is applied. Means suitable for such focusing are, by themselves, known in the art and available a person of ordinary skill.
• Fig. 7 shows the blood vessel of Fig. 6 after treatment.
• Blood clot 120 is shown to remain as a separate entity attached to the blood-vessel wall, having well-defined borders. Because tissue 30, on which ultrasound was focused shrinks and stiffens due to collagen cross-linking, tissue 30 pushes blood clot 120 into the blood vessel lumen. This shrinking may also cause an untreated blood vessel portion (32) facing the treated one to get closer to the treated tissue (30) and this way the diameter of the blood vessel is reduced in the vicinity of the treated plaque. In some cases, there may be a risk that the reduction in blood vessel diameter leaves the blood vessel too narrow to allow normal blood flow therethrough.
• the blood vessel there may be a risk of complete occlusion of the blood vessel due to the shrinkage of collagen in the vessel wall. In some cases, there may be a risk that the blood clot will escape into the blood stream. This may be dangerous to the patient, as it might cause a disruption or blocking of the blood flow downstream. To prevent blood clot escape and possibly for other reasons, it may be advisable to support the blood vessel, for instance, with a stent, during and/or after aneurysm stabilization. Optionally, after the treatment, the patient is administered thrombolysis agents to dissolve clot 120.
• Fig. 8 shows blood vessel 110 with a stent 160 supporting it during treatment.
• the stent is deployed to support the blood vessel in aneurysm-free areas (112'), to prevent occlusion of the blood vessel while leaving room for geometry changes in the clot.
• the stent is deployed to prevent escape of blood clot 120 into the lumen of blood vessel 110.
• stent 160 is deployed as depicted in Fig. 8, which schematically shows a balloon 170, having three portions (A, B, and C). Portion B is of smaller diameter than portions A and C 1 and thus expands stent 160 to a lesser extent as to allow room for blood clot 120.
• the balloon 170 is shrunk and withdrawn from the blood vessel, and catheter 150 is inserted to stabilize the aneurysm as shown in Fig. 7.
• US transmitters are inside balloon 170, and heat the plaque through the balloon surface.
• Fig. 9 shows a blood vessel after a stent-assistant treatment.
• Stent 160 prevents clot 120 from escaping into the lumen of blood vessel 110.
• treated tissue 130 changes geometry in response to the treatment, and stent 160 limits the shrinking into the blood vessel lumen.
• Fig. 10 is a flowchart of a method 610 of treating blood vessel wall abnormality, for example, vulnerable plaque and/or aneurysm, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The method
• monitoring treatment progression comprises monitoring stiffness-related parameters.
• monitoring stiffness-related parameter comprises monitoring stiffness using ultrasonic elastography.
• monitoring treatment progression comprises detecting ultrasound radiation reflected or otherwise backscattered from the vulnerable plaque or from the aneurysm. For instance, when backscatter stops changing, full cross-linking is indicated, and further heating have very little therapeutic value, if at all.
• ultrasound heating is applied non-invasively, from outside the body.
• ultrasound heating is applied invasively, from within the treated blood vessel.
• ultrasound heating is applied invasively, from outside the treated blood vessel, for instance through a surrounding tissue.
• ultrasound backscatter is monitored non-invasively.
• Ultrasound backscatter detection that may be applied non-invasively in an embodiment of the invention is described in the article of Gertner, cited above. Alternatively or additionally, ultrasound backscatter detection is with an US catheter.
• backscatter detection and ultrasound heating is carried out with the same ultrasound device.
• two different devices are used.
• both heating and detecting are non-invasive.
• both heating and detecting are invasive.
• heating is invasive and detecting is non-invasive.
• heating is non-invasive, and detecting is invasive.
• monitoring treatment progression comprises detecting changes in stiffness of a specific targeted tissue.
• the targeted tissue is only a portion of the treated tissue.
• monitoring tissue progression comprises monitoring changes that take place in the adventitial; for example, monitoring ultrasound backscatter from the adventitia.
• monitoring treatment progression comprises monitoring changes that take place in the vasa vasorum; for example, monitoring ultrasound backscatter from the vasa vasorum.
• monitoring tissue progression comprises monitoring changes that take place in the plaque's cap; for example, monitoring ultrasound backscatter from the cap.
• monitoring treatment progression includes detecting changes in the tissue properties using modalities such as grayscale intravascular-ultrasound (IVUS), Spectral Analysis Intravascular Ultrasound, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), MRI, CT etc., that can provide detailed data regarding the morphological and histological contents of the arterial wall.
• modalities such as grayscale intravascular-ultrasound (IVUS), Spectral Analysis Intravascular Ultrasound, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), MRI, CT etc.
• heating is stopped when at least a portion of the blood vessel undergoes a desired mechanical or biological modification.
• mechanical modifications include stiffening, shortening, and thickening. Some of the above examples may result from protein cross-linking and/or denaturation in the tissue, for example, collagen cross-linking.
• biological modifications include blocking of intra-plaque vasa vasorum, and extinction of inter-plaque macrophages.
• the heating is stopped only when the desired modification is full.
• a modification is considered full when further heating does not result in further modification.
• a parameter related with the modification is monitored, and heating is stopped when the parameter stops changing.
• Parameters responsive to tissue stiffness may be obtained, from example, using ultrasound reflection, ultrasound backscatter, by ultrasound elastography, or other kinds of elastography.
• Parameters responsive to cross-linking degree may be obtained, for example, using magnetic imaging.
• heating is stopped when at least a certain portion of the collagen volume in a target tissue undergoes 100% cross-linking.
• cross- linking is considered full (that is, 100% cross-linking) when further heating does not change the degree of cross-linking.
• cross-linking is considered full when a parameter responsive to the cross-linking stops changing.
• cross-linking is considered full when such a parameter changes considerably, for instance, by factor of 5 or more.
• the certain portion that undergoes full cross-linking is any portion between about 50% to about 100%, for example 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, or 100%. The greater is the cross-linked portion - the better is the stabilization of the vulnerable plaque. However, in some clinical circumstances, cross-linking less than 100% of the collagen may be preferred.
• cross-linking degree is first experimentally evaluated, for example, ex vivo, and ultrasound protocols resulting in desired effects are compiled in accordance with the results obtained.
• ultrasound applicators are configured to apply therapy in accordance with one or more of the compiled protocols.
• the compiled protocols are scaled by the amount of ultrasound absorbed in the tissue, and the applicators are configured to apply the protocols responsive to data received on ultrasound absorption in the treated tissue.
• the ultrasound applicator is configured to apply the protocols responsive to data received on ultrasound attenuation, which many times is easier to measure.
• the same probe used for heating the blood vessel wall abnormality with ultrasound is also used for monitoring the reflected ultrasound.
• ultrasound is transmitted in cycles of treating and monitoring. For instance, each cycle contains a first period, wherein ultrasound is applied with a first set of parameters, designed to stiffen the plaque, and then, for a second period with a second set of parameters, designed to monitor plaque stiffening.
• no ultrasound is applied to the abnormality.
• Treatment parameters and monitoring parameters are described below.
• the ultrasound heating required for substantial crosslinking of collagen varies with US frequency and intensity. For instance, for continues (CW) sonication with frequency 20 MHz, and intensity of 2 W/cm 2 , heating 2 minutes may be required.
• Frequency is the frequency of the vibrational (ultrasonic) energy.
• Intensity is the vibrational energy applied power divided by the surface on which this power is measured / applied.
• Duration of treatment is defined as the actual time during which vibrational energy is being applied to the arterial wall.
• Elapsed treatment time is the time difference between the initiation and termination of treatment, elapsed treatment time is also referred herein as heating period, and includes the time it takes for the temperature to get to therapeutic values and the time it remains at such values;
• Burst length is the length of time for a single burst of vibrational energy
• Pulse repetition frequency is the number of pulses applied per time unit, usually expressed in Hz.
• the vibrational energy is applied in a continuous (CW) mode for periods of 1-100 seconds, depending on the other parameters as described below.
• CW continuous
• the vibrational energy is applied in several bursts of energy, interspersed in relatively long periods of no energy output.
• Frequency Living tissue absorb ultrasound of higher frequency better than that of lower frequency, typically monotonic in all the mentioned ranges. Higher energy absorption is associated with more efficient heating, that is, more of the ultrasound energy is absorbed in the tissue and generates heating of the tissue. Additionally, higher energy absorption (and therefore also higher frequency of ultrasound) is associated with less penetration of the ultrasound energy to deep tissue layers, as much of the energy is absorbed in the outer layers. Accordingly, higher frequency is also associated with fast stiffening of outer tissue layers and more pronounced self-containment of the heating process.
• Elapsed time longer elapsed time, at equal burst length and pulse frequency, is associated with increased heating of the tissue.
• Fig. 11 is a schematic illustration of an apparatus 700 for treating vulnerable plaque or aneurysm.
• Apparatus 700 includes an ultrasound emitter 702; an ultrasound receiver 704; and a controller 706.
• controller 706 is configured to stop ultrasound emission by emitter 702 upon receiving ultrasound signal with a predetermined parameter from ultrasound receiver 704.
• the predetermined parameter is a backscatter coefficient of the reflections from the tissue. This coefficient is measured during treatment, and maximal crosslinking is assumed when it stops increasing.
• the predetermined parameter is a ratio between intensity of ultrasound emission received by receiver 704 before treatment, and intensity of ultrasound emission received by the same receiver at the time of control.
• the controller is configured to stop the emission when the intensity of received ultrasound is at least 5 times larger than it was before treatment.
• the receivers are arranged in a cylindrical, outward facing array and are mounted on a catheter.
• an annular array 800 includes receivers (704) and emitters (702).
• a same ultrasound element functions as an emitter or as a receiver, depending on a command received from controller 706.
• controller 706 may control all the elements to emit treating ultrasound for a certain period, and then one or more to emit monitoring ultrasound, and one or more to receive the monitoring ultrasound for a certain period.
• one device emits ultrasound and all the other ones receive reflections from the tissue.
• the monitoring period may be the same as or different from the treating period.
• a rest period may be present between treating period and monitoring period and/or between treatment period and monitoring period.
• Each period may be controlled to be of any desired length, for instance 10ms, 50ms, 500ms.
• length of emission period, receipt period, and delay period are controllable independently of each other.
• controller 706 assigns some of the ultrasound devices to function as emitters and some to function as receivers, and changes these assignments during treatment and detection.
• device 700 also includes a manual control 708.
• the manual control may be configured to allow a user, for instance, a physician operating the device, to control the device.
• Some examples of control possibilities that manual control may allow for are start treatment, stop treatment, set ultrasound detection parameters, set ultrasound treatment parameters, set ultrasound detection parameters, etc.
• treatment parameters are the characteristic of the treatment ultrasound, such as intensity, frequency, and pulse repetition, and ultrasound detection parameters may be similar characteristic of ultrasound used for monitoring the stiffness, as well as characteristics of the receivers, for instance: gain, frequency, etc.
• each of the emitters (702) or (802) elements may be applied with electric energy in different times, in such a fashion that the total energy output may be focused in the tissue to one or several focal points, as presented, for instance, in US '210.
• device 700 is configured to provide treatment in predetermined power/time settings, sp as to be useful in stiffening vessel wall without damaging nearby tissue.
• ultrasound absorption is evaluated in situ based on received backscatter, and the settings are normalized respective to the detected energy attenuation.
• device 700 is mounted on a catheter configured for insertion into blood vessel.
• the catheter is advanced in the blood vessel when device 700 is in a detection mode, such that all the detectors are on.
• the detected signals are analyzed to present to a display unit 710 echo images of the blood vessel.
• a display unit 710 echo images of the blood vessel.
• ultrasound emitters that face the identified plaque or aneurysm start operating to treat the abnormality by irradiating it with ultrasound having treatment parameters as discussed above.
• Ultrasound emitters facing other portions of the blood vessel may be shut off, or continue working in detection mode to allow immediate identification of any change in tissue structure that may be unintentionally caused by treatment of the nearby tissue.
• the emitters are switch to emit ultrasound of monitoring parameters as discussed above, and receiving ultrasound signals received from the tissue. These may be ultrasound signals reflected or scattered from the tissue.
• the received signals are analyzed by a processor, which is optionally inside controller 706 or in communication therewith, and when the processor analyzes the received signals to indicated sufficient tissue stiffening, controller 706 control stoppage of the treatment.
• echo data of the treated area is then obtained and presented at display 710, to allow an operator to decide whether to continue treatment, optionally with other stopping parameters, to finish operation, to treat other portion of same plaque or aneurysm, or to continue searching for other abnormalities.
• Pieces of pig aorta where heated by ultrasonic irradiation to a level that caused collagen denaturation in the irradiated region.
• the harvested fresh aortas were kept in a sealed bag in freezing at (-2O)C until the experiment (maximal 30 days).
• the target aorta was defrosted in room temperature.
• the aorta tissue samples were positioned standing in a big bath (150x100x100) filled with PBS at room temperature.
• Ultrasonic transducer 10 MHz, plate piezzo-element, 3mm diameter, non-focused.
• the ultrasonic transducer was positioned facing the center of the tissue sample towards the intima face, 10mm from the tissue (to avoid heating effects from the heating of the transducer during work)
• the ultrasonic transducer was applied continues excitation for 5 minutes. After each sonication, the transducer was allowed to cool for about 10 minutes.
• each aorta segment was fixed for 24 hours in 5% formalin and embedded in paraffin. Serial sections, each five 5um thick, were cut from all segments and stained with Hematoxylin & Eosin.
• Figs. 13 and 14 show exemplary 5 ⁇ m thick sections of an artery treated as described above. The heating foci were observed on macro.
• the heating foci consist of a well demarcated area of necrosis (typical thermal damage with apparent protein clotting) in the adventitia.
• the foci of clumping and vacuolation interpreted as thermal damage, were present in the inner third of the media, (e.g. from the intima into the media).
• Approximate average dimensions of the fiber clumping area observed per section were length of 2.7 ⁇ 0.3mm and depth from intima of

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