Systems, methods and devices for removing obstructions from a blood vessel
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of removing an obstruction from a blood vessel, comprising the steps of:
- providing an elongate obstruction removing element, the element being naturally biased toward an expanded shape, the expanded shape forming a plurality of coils;
positioning the element in a collapsed position, wherein at least one strand also extends along the elongate obstruction removing element;
advancing the element into an obstruction while holding the element in the collapsed configuration;
releasing the element so that the element naturally expands toward the expanded shape, wherein the at least one strand extends between the plurality of coils;
engaging an obstruction with the element; and
removing the element thereby removing the obstruction.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Devices and methods for removing an obstruction from a blood vessel are described. The devices are deployed in a collapsed condition and are then expanded within the body. The devices are then manipulated to engage and remove the obstruction.
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Citations
73 Claims
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1. A method of removing an obstruction from a blood vessel, comprising the steps of:
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providing an elongate obstruction removing element, the element being naturally biased toward an expanded shape, the expanded shape forming a plurality of coils;
positioning the element in a collapsed position, wherein at least one strand also extends along the elongate obstruction removing element;
advancing the element into an obstruction while holding the element in the collapsed configuration;
releasing the element so that the element naturally expands toward the expanded shape, wherein the at least one strand extends between the plurality of coils;
engaging an obstruction with the element; and
removing the element thereby removing the obstruction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A device for removing an obstruction from a blood vessel, comprising:
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an elongate obstruction removing element, the element being naturally biased toward an expanded shape, the expanded shape forming a plurality of coils; and
wherein at least one strand also extends along the elongate obstruction removing element in the collapsed position, the element being movable to the expanded position with the at least one strand extending between the coils. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of removing an obstruction from a blood vessel, comprising the steps of:
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providing a device having an elongate main element and at least one strand, the elongate main element having an expandable portion;
positioning the expandable portion of the main element in a collapsed position, the element being in a substantially straight configuration with the strand extending alongside the main element;
advancing the main element into an obstruction in the collapsed position;
expanding the element toward the expanded shape;
manipulating the main element to entangle the main element with the strand and to entangle the device with the obstruction;
removing the obstruction with the element after the manipulating step. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A device for removing an obstruction from a blood vessel, comprising:
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an elongate obstruction removing element;
at least one strand extends alongside the elongate obstruction removing element;
wherein the element is movable from a collapsed position to an expanded position, the element being naturally biased toward the expanded position, the element being in a collapsed and substantially straight configuration when in the collapsed position, the main element being rotated within the blood vessel to cause the strand to become entangled with the element at locations dependent upon permitted expansion of the element within the blood vessel. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. An endovascular device for removing material from a blood vessel, comprising the steps of:
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providing a device having a main element and at least one flexible filament wrapped around the main element, the main element being naturally biased toward an expanded condition;
positioning the device in a delivery catheter so that the element is held in a substantially straight configuration;
moving the device outside the delivery catheter so that the device expands toward the expanded condition;
rotating the main element relative to the flexible filament so that the flexible filament begins to unwind relative to the main element; and
removing material from the blood vessel using the device. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. An intravascular device for removing material from a vascular site, comprising:
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a main element being naturally biased toward an expanded position; and
a filament wrapped around the main element, the filament being wrapped tightly around the main element in a delivery condition, the filament being rotatable relative to the main element from a wound position in which the filament is wrapped around the main element to an unwound position in which the filament is spaced apart from the main element and unwound relative to the main element. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A method of removing an obstruction from a blood vessel, comprising the steps of:
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providing an elongate obstruction removing element;
positioning the element in a collapsed and substantially straight configuration, wherein at least one strand extends alongside the elongate obstruction removing element;
advancing the element through an obstruction;
expanding the element toward the expanded shape, wherein the at least one strand contacts the element at a plurality of locations which depend upon permitted expansion of the element within the blood vessel;
engaging an obstruction with the element; and
removing the element thereby removing the obstruction. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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61. A device for removing an obstruction from a blood vessel, comprising:
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an elongate obstruction removing element;
at least one strand extends alongside the elongate obstruction removing element;
wherein the element is movable from a collapsed position to an expanded position, the element being naturally biased toward the expanded position, the element being in a collapsed and substantially straight configuration when in the collapsed position, the strand and element naturally becoming entangled with one another when the element moves to the expanded position, the at least one strand contacting the main element and becoming entangled with the element in a manner dependent upon permitted expansion of the element within the blood vessel. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68)
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69. A method of removing an obstruction from a blood vessel comprising the steps of:
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providing an obstruction retriever having an expandable element coupled to an elongate insertion element, the expandable element having a first end coupled to the insertion element and a second end slidably coupled to the insertion element, the second end slidably moving along the insertion element when the expandable element moves from a collapsed position to an expanded position, the second end being coupled to a pull wire;
positioning the retriever in a delivery catheter so that the delivery catheter holds the expandable element in the collapsed position;
advancing the retriever into an obstruction with the retriever in the collapsed position;
permitting the retriever to expand toward the expanded position; and
removing the obstruction with the retriever. - View Dependent Claims (70, 71, 72, 73)
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Specification