A new surgical tool that uses low-frequency ultrasound to break down blood clots deep within the veins of the legs, without damaging the surrounding blood vessels, has been developed by US researchers.The tool is the first ultrasound "drill" that can be aimed straight ahead, allowing doctors to better target clots and holds promise for significantly reducing treatment time, researchers said. The professor at the North Carolina State University said that this new ultrasound tool is forward-facing, like a drill, but still breaks down clots into very fine particles.
Existing intravascular ultrasound tools for clearing clots emit ultrasound waves laterally, making it harder to target clots exclusively, meaning that the ultrasound can also damage surrounding blood vessels. The tool also incorporates an injection tube that allows users to inject microbubbles at the site of the clot, making…
