Apparatus and method for enhanced intravascular phonophoresis including dissolution of intravascular blockage and concomitant inhibition of restenosis.

AN ULTRASONIC DEVICE (10) AND A METHOD FOR COUPLING AN ULTRASONIC ENERGY IN THE INTRAVASCULAR WALLS AND SO INCREASING PHONOPHORESIS AND FOR THE SOLUTION OF INTRAVASCULAR BLOCKS. APPARATUS (10) INCLUDES A RADIATOR (44) FOR COUPLING ULTRASONIC WAVES AND A PIEZOELECTRIC CRYSTAL (24), CONNECTED TO SUCH RADIATOR (44), FOR THE INTRAVASCULAR GENERATION OF ULTRASONIC WAVES; WHERE SUCH ULTRASONIC WAVES SPREAD ALONG A LONGITUDINAL AXIS (104) OF SUCH PIEZOELECTRIC CRYSTAL (24). A GERM LIQUID IS INTRODUCED NEAR THE RADIATOR TO PROMOTE CAVITATION OF INTRAVASCULAR FLUID. IN ADDITION, THE DISSOLUTION OF INTRAVASCULAR BLOCKS AND THE INHIBITION OF RESTENOSIS BY CHEMICAL AGENTS WHEN COMBINED WITH AN ULTRASONIC ENERGY ARE SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED.