the invention is illustrated with reference to the following detailed description which is to be contrued in a non - limitative manner . a variety of types of generators of acoustic energy , in pulse wave mode and as continuous wave mode , can be used , the main feature being the application of focused energy of adequate intensity at the focal point to bring about cavitation and the ablation of the thrombus from the blood vessel . the invention is further illustrated with reference to the enclosed schematical drawing and photos , wherein : fig1 is a schematic illustration of an in vitro experimental setup ; fig3 a to 3d are photos of ultrasound images illustrating the events at the focal point ( locus of maximum acoustic energy density ) during an experiment of thrombus ablation by means of acoustic energy . as shown in fig1 an experimental setup of a device of the invention , to be used for the ablation of blood thrombi in vitro , comprises in combination an underwater spark gap electrode 1 , which generates the required shock - waves . a semi - ellipsoid metal reflector 2 , converges the energy to a focal point 3 , where the thrombic arterial segment 4 is positioned . there are provided two independent x - ray image conversion systems , comprising x - ray image intensifiers 5 and 5 &# 39 ; and x - ray monitors 6 and 6 &# 39 ;, which make possible to monitor the image of the thrombus during the ablation process . the arterial segment 4 is suspended from a metal frame 7 , which can be moved along three spatial axes x , y , z so as to position the thrombus at the focal point 3 of the acoustic energy . an ultrasound imaging system 8 , 9 visualizes the arterial segment at the focal point 3 . human femoral and iliac arteries were obtained during post - mortem examinations . the arterial segments were fixed in 10 % neutral formalin for 24 h and then , to preserve arterial elasticity , transferred to a saline solution and kept at 4 ° c . for less than 7 days . every 48 h the saline solution was changed . a fresh thrombus was prepared by filling a 3 mm diameter plastic tube with fresh human blood mixed with thrombin ( 1 ml blood / 20 nih unit bovine thrombin , t4648 , sigma , st . louis , mo .). after 30 min . the thrombus was removed from the plastic tube and dissected to a length approximately one - third that of each arterial segment . the thrombus was weighed and inserted into the artery . the artery was filled with saline , to preclude an artificial acoustic interface between air and fluid ( i . e . air bubbles ), and ligated at both ends . shock waves ablation protocol . a shock wave lithotripter ( hm3 , dornier medical systems , marietta , ga .) was used as source of focused high - power acoustic energy . underwater high - current electrical spark - gap discharges , with a pulse duration of about 1 msec , generated underwater explosive vaporization of water between the spark - gap electrodes . this generated shock waves in the surrounding fluid which propagate spherically from the site of origin . positioning the spark - gap electrode in a symmetric hemi - ellipsoid metal reflector focused the shock waves . the reflector reflects and converges the shock waves at a focal point where 90 % of the energy are concentrated on a spherical area , approximately 2 cm in diameter . the distance between the spark - gap and focal point is 22 . 5 cm . the thrombotic arterial segments were randomized into test ( n = 8 ) and control groups ( n = 7 ). transillumination confirmed the position of the thrombus in the artery . radio - opaque markers on both sides of the thrombus identified and defined the thrombotic section during application of shock waves . each segment was suspended from a metal frame and immersed in a water bath . the water was kept at constant temperature ( 35 °± 1 ° c .). the metal frame with the suspended thrombotic artery could be moved along 3 spatial axes by means of a motor driven positioning device . a x - ray location system , employing 2 independent image conversion systems arranged along nonparallel axes , verified the 3 - d positioning of the thrombotic segment at the intersection of the 2 nonparallel axes ( i . e . focal point ) ( fig1 ). the test arteries were exposed to 1000 shocks at 24 kv . the control arteries underwent identical treatment but without exposure to shock waves . after the application of shock waves , the arterial ligatures were removed and the arterial content flushed with 10 ml saline . the residual solid thrombus was separated from the fluid portion and re - weighed . the extent of thrombus ablation was evaluated from the change in solid thrombus weight and expressed as percentage reduction in solid thrombus weight . to calculate the percentage reduction in solid thrombus weight the formula : ( thrombus weight pre - treatment less thrombus weight post - treatment )× 100 / thrombus weight pre - treatment , was used . histopathologic analysis . the arterial segments and thrombi were fixed in 10 % neutral formalin . four 3 mm rings were excised from each segment and processed routinely . five micron sections , as shown in fig2 a - 2b , were mounted on glass slides and stained with hematoxylin - eosin and movatpentachrome stains . an experienced cardiovascular pathologist ( gda ), blinded to the experimental details and results , performed the pathologic evaluation . the overall integrity of the vessel , continuity of the elastic structures , and cellular damage was assessed in the arterial segments . the composition and architecture were studied in the thrombi . cavitation analysis . to elucidate the mechanism of shock wave thrombus ablation , an ultrasound imaging system was used to study the production of cavitation by the shock waves . the arterial segment was imaged in the water bath before , during , and after each experiment . a 5 mhz multi - element linear - phase array ultrasound imaging transducer , with an axial resolution of 0 . 3 mm and a lateral resolution of 1 . 2 mm , at a depth of 4 cm ( ultramark 9 , advanced technology laboratories , inc ., bothell , wash . ), was used . the ultrasound image on display , as shown in fig3 a to 3d , was continuously recorded on a videotape with 240 video - lines of resolution . cavitations were defined as highly echogenic transient microbubbles on the ultrasound image display . quadruplicates of the maximal area of each cavitation field were measured and averaged . the time from the spark - gap discharge to the earliest production of cavitation , to attainment of maximal area of the cavitation field and to final clearance of the cavitation was measured in 10 cycles of application of shock waves and averaged . time was measured by counting the number of video frames from the spark - gap discharge , recorded as electrical interference on the ultrasound image , to the event and multiplying by 33 msec ( at frame rate of 30 frames / sec ., each frame represents 33 msec ). to determine the contribution of acoustic impedance mismatch between the arterial segment and water to the production of cavitation , the echocardiographic studies were performed with and without the presence of an arterial segment at focal point . data were summarized as mean ± sd . differences between groups were analyzed using the unpaired two - tailed student &# 39 ; s - test . a p value & lt ; 0 . 05 was considered significant . thrombus ablation . the thrombi was generated in vitro , had a diameter of 3 mm , length 3 . 2 ± 0 . 4 cm and weight of 0 . 23 ± 0 . 08 g . in the test group application of shock waves decreased the weight of solid thrombus weight by 91 ± 14 %, as compared with 43 ± 17 % in the control group ( p = 0 . 0001 ). histopathologic analysis . following application of shock waves there were no perforations or other gross signs of damage to the arterial segments . no cellular damage was noted in the intima , media , or adventitia . the residual thrombi in both groups were identical in composition and structure . cavitation analysis . shortly after the application of shock waves ( 533 msec ), a localized transient dense field of cavitation was formed at the focal point , the site of maximal energy density , encompassing the thrombotic arterial segment . the field of cavitation attained its maximum dimension ( 1 . 9 ± 0 . 5 cm 2 ). within 129 ± 62 msec , thereafter it gradually declined in size and density . after 744 ± 233 msec only a few stable cavitations were apparent at the focal point ( fig3 ). the production of cavitation at the focal point after the application of shock waves was characteristic and independent of the presence of an arterial segment of focal point . this study is the first to show the feasibility of using focused acoustic energy for non - invasive , targeted and selective thrombus ablation . when thrombotic human arterial segments were placed at the focal point of focused shock waves , a 91 % reduction in the weight of solid thrombus with no apparent damage to the arterial wall , was observed . in the control group there was a 43 % reduction in thrombus weight . this reduction in weight in the control group is attributed mainly to clot - retraction in between the time of thrombus induction and the ablation experiment ( 12 ± 3 h ). these data , documenting the effective and selective non - invasive thrombus ablation by high - power acoustic energy , are consistent with the data in studies of ultrasonic thrombus ablation by acoustic energy transmitted by a catheter . in these studes , as well , it is shown that the level of acoustic energy necessary to ablate thrombus has a minimal effect on the arterial wall . during ultrasonic angioplasty the ablation rates correlate negatively with elasticity and is apparent only at energy levels above cavitation threshold . the thrombus has a low elasticity and a high ablation rate while the arterial wall has high elasticity and a low ablation rate . this phenomenon of elasticity - dependent ablation by high power acoustic energy is thought to be mediated by cavitation effect and the physical basis for the selective thrombus ablation observed during ultrasonic angioplasty . thrombus ablation in ultrasonic angioplasty is due to the effect of cavitations . these generate localized disruptive mechanical forces capable of degrading several polymers including fibrin polymer that forms the structural support of the thrombus . similar mechanism may be operative in shock wave thrombus ablation . in this study , shock wave effected thrombus ablation , despite the similarities in impendance properties between the fresh thrombus artery , and the surrounding water , suggesting that different mechanism operate here than in lithotripsy . during shock wave thrombus ablation , a localized transient field of cavitation is produced at the focal point encompassing the target thrombotic artery . our experiment demonstrate that the mechanism of action is different from that perceived so far to be the mechanism of action of lithoripsy . the mechanism of action of lithotripsy is based on the acoustic impedance mismatch between the soft tissue in the body and the hard calcified stone . this acoustic impedance mismatch generates pressure waves that break the stone apart into very small particles . this explains why lithotripsy , a technology existing for about 20 years , is used only on calcified elements in the body like gallstones and renal stones but nobody had investigated and published on the ablation of soft tissue , specifically on thrombus . our experiments were extended recently to in vivo experiments in a thrombolytically occluded rabbit &# 39 ; s peripheral artery . the occlusion was induced by temporary ligation of the artery and thrombin injection into the occluded segment , as described by rosenschein et al ., ( j . am . college cardiology 1990 ; 15 : 711 - 717 ). the acoustic generator was used to generate a continuous wave , or a pulsed wave with 0 . 1 second pulse duration , wave frequency 45 khz , intensity of 5 w / cm 2 at the focal area which was established to be above the threshold of blood cavitation . in experiments with 5 rabbits such focused acoustic energy ablated the thrombi within 5 to 10 minutes , and led to the restoration of normal blood flow and tissue circulation . a thorough examination of the arteries after thrombus ablation demonstrated no damage to the arteries .
a method and device for selective in vivo ablation of fresh blood thrombi by means of non - invasive focused high power acoustic energy . the method comprises applying a plurality of pulses of high energy acoustic waves or a continuous acoustic wave , focused at the location of a thrombus in a blood vessel , resulting in the ablation of the thrombus , and restoration of blood flow . there is also provided a device for the controlled generation and application of focused pulsed , or continuous , acoustic energy waves of predetermined energy and frequency .