Device and Method for the Ablation of Fibrin Sheath Formation on a Venous Catheter

Abstract

An indwelling venous catheter and method capable of destroying undesirable cellular growth is provided. The catheter includes a shaft having at least one lumen and adapted to be placed inside a vein for long term use. A plurality of electrodes are positioned near a distal section of the shaft and are adapted to receive from a voltage generator a plurality of electrical pulses in an amount sufficient to cause destruction of cells in the undesirable cellular growth that have grown around the shaft. In one aspect of the invention, a probe is configured to be removably insertable into the at least one lumen and the electrodes are positioned near the distal section of the probe.

1 . An indwelling venous catheter capable of destroying undesirable cellular growth comprising:
 a shaft having at least one lumen and adapted to be placed inside a vein for long term use; and   a plurality of electrodes positioned near the shaft and adapted to receive from a voltage generator a plurality of electrical pulses in an amount sufficient to cause destruction of cells in the undesirable cellular growth around the shaft.   
     
     
         2 . The catheter of  claim 1 . wherein the shaft has two lumens and the electrodes are attached at a distal section of the shaft. 
     
     
         3 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the catheter is a dialysis catheter and the shaft has an arterial lumen and a venous lumen. 
     
     
         4 . The catheter of  claim 1 , further comprising a probe adapted to be removably inserted into the shaft lumen, wherein the probe includes at least one of the electrodes. 
     
     
         5 . The catheter of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a probe having a lumen and adapted to be removably inserted into the shaft lumen; and   at least two electrically conducting elements positioned within the probe lumen and adapted to be movable from a retracted position to a deployed position, wherein a distal section of the electrically conducting elements extend past the distal end of the shaft to define the plurality of electrodes.   
     
     
         6 . The catheter of  claim 5 , wherein the distal section of the electrically conducting elements has a pre-curved profile that, in the deployed position, curves radially outwardly and then extends proximally along the shaft. 
     
     
         7 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the electrodes is ring-shaped and is coaxially arranged with the lumen. 
     
     
         8 . The catheter of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of electrically conducting wires connected to the electrodes and running along the shaft.   
     
     
         9 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the electrically conducting wires are positioned within a wall of the shaft so as to electrically insulate the electrically conducting wires. 
     
     
         10 . The catheter of  claim 1 , further comprising the voltage generator wherein the voltage generator is adapted to generate a set of between two and twenty-five electrical pulses with each pulse having a duration of from 50 to 200 microseconds and a voltage in a range of from 2,000 V/cm to 6,000 V/cm. 
     
     
         11 . The catheter of  claim 1 , further comprising the voltage generator adapted to generate the electrical pulses in an amount sufficient to cause destruction of fibrin sheath that have grown around the shaft. 
     
     
         12 . The catheter of  claim 1 , further comprising the voltage generator adapted to generate the electrical pulses in an amount sufficient to cause destruction of the infectious cells that have grown around the shaft. 
     
     
         13 . The catheter of  claim 1 , further comprising a synchronization device adapted to receive electrocardiogram (ECG) signals and controls generation of the electrical pulses of the voltage generator based on the ECG signals. 
     
     
         14 . The catheter of  claim 1 , further comprising the voltage generator adapted to generate the electrical pulses with each pulse having a duration of less than 1 microsecond. 
     
     
         15 . An indwelling venous catheter device capable of destroying undesirable cellular growth comprising:
 a shaft having at least one lumen terminating at a distal end opening, the shaft configured to be positioned inside a vein for long-term use;   a probe configured to be removably insertable into the at least one lumen;   a plurality of electrodes positioned near the probe, the electrodes being configured to receive from a voltage generator a plurality of electrical pulses in an amount sufficient to cause destruction of cells in the undesirable cellular growth around the shaft.   
     
     
         16 . The catheter device of  claim 15 , wherein the probe has a tapered distal tip so as to provide a leading edge capable of advancing through the undesirable cellular growth. 
     
     
         17 . The catheter device of  claim 15 , wherein, the probe has a lumen, further comprising:
 at least two electrically conducting elements positioned within the probe lumen and adapted to be movable from a retracted position to a deployed position, wherein a distal section of the electrically conducting elements extend past the distal end opening of the shaft to define the plurality of electrodes.   
     
     
         18 . The catheter device of  claim 17 , wherein the distal section of the electrically conducting elements has a pre-curved profile that, in the deployed position, curves radially outwardly and then extends proximally along the shaft. 
     
     
         19 . The catheter device of  claim 15 , further comprising the voltage generator wherein the voltage generator is adapted to generate a set of between two and twenty-five electrical pulses with each pulse having a duration of from 50 to 200 microseconds and a voltage in a range of from 2,000 V/cm to 6,000 V/cm. 
     
     
         20 . The catheter device of  claim 15 , further comprising the voltage generator adapted to generate the electrical pulses whose voltage is in a range of from 2,000 V/cm to 6,000 V/cm.