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Apparatus and method for the treatment of thrombotic occlusions in vessels

  • US 5,688,234 A
  • Filed: 01/26/1996
  • Issued: 11/18/1997
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/26/1996
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for use with a guide wire for the treatment of a thrombotic occlusion in a patient having a vessel with thrombus and plaque therein and capable of being advanced to said thrombotic occlusion comprising a flexible elongate tubular sheath having proximal and distal extremities and having a relatively large lumen extending from the proximal extremity to the distal extremity so that the distal extremity is open and the lumen is defined by a thin flexible wall, a thrombotic occlusion disruption device slidably and rotatably disposed in the lumen in the tubular sheath, said thrombotic occlusion disruption device including a flexible elongate torsionally rigid shaft having a length greater than the length of the tubular sheath and having proximal and distal extremities, the shaft having a guide wire lumen extending from the proximal extremity to the distal extremity of the shaft and sized to receive the guide wire, said shaft being sufficiently flexible so that it can be advanced over and follow said guide wire to the thrombotic occlusion in a vessel, a plurality of distally extending prong shaped disruption elements having proximal and distal extremities means securing the proximal extremities of the disruption elements to the distal extremity of the shaft, the distal extremities of the disruption elements being movable between retracted positions when disclosed in the lumen of the tubular sheath and expanded positions when disposed outside the lumen of the tubular sheath, means coupled to the proximal extremity of the shaft for rotating the shaft and the disruption elements carried thereby, said disruption elements being rigid enough so that during rotation the thrombotic occlusion in the vessel of the patient is disrupted by causing it to break into smaller pieces, said disruption elements also being flexible enough so that during rotation the plaque in the vessel is left intact and means coupled to the proximal extremity of the tubular sheath for aspirating into the large lumen of the tubular sheath pieces of the thrombotic occlusion and removing them from the vessel of the patient.

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