A NEW ULTRATHIN ANGIOSCOPE FOR ATHERECTOMY APPLICATIONS

THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF THE RESEARCH IS TO DEVELOP A DESIGN FOR INNOVATIVE IMAGING INSTRUMENTATION CALLED THE ULTRATHIN ANGIOSCOPE FOR ATHERECTOMY APPLICATIONS. THIS IMAGING DEVICE IS SPECIALLY DESIGNED TO BE UTILIZED BY CURRENT ATHERECTOMY INSTRUMENTATION IN ORDER TO PROVIDE HIGH RESOLUTION, 3-DIMENSIONAL, REAL-TIME IN VIVO MONITORING OF THE PROCEDURE. THE MINUTE ANGIOSCOPE WILL BE INSERTED THROUGH THE GUIDEWIRE CHANNEL OF THE ATHERECTOMY INSTRUMENT AND ADVANCED AND RETRACTED AS DIFFERENT LUMENAL VIEWS ARE NEEDED THROUGHOUT THE PROCEDURE. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS DESIGN IS THE INCREASED INFORMATION IT WILL PROVIDE TO THE PHYSICIAN ABOUT THE CONDITION OF THE ARTERIAL SYSTEM IN ADDITION TO THE CURRENTLY USED 2-DIMENSIONAL ANAGIOGRAM. SPECIALLY, IN PHASE I, A PROTOTYPE SYSTEM WILL BE DEVELOPED IN ORDER TO DEMONSTRATE THE FEASIBLITY OF THE OPTICAL PRINCIPLES AND THE OVERALL SYSTEM DESIGN. PROTOTYPE DEMONSTRATIONS WILL INCLUDE INSERTION OF THE ANGIOSCOPE THROUGH AN ATHEROCATH IN ORDER TO IMAGE MODEL ARTERIAL LUMENS ONTO A CCD CAMERA. POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS ARE WIDESPREAD FOR SUCH A MINUTE IMAGING SYSTEM. ONCE DEVELOPED THE SYSTEM CAN BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH A VARIEY OF CARDIAC INSTRUMENTATION AND PROCEDURES, SUCH AS BALLOON ANGIOPLASTY.