Method and apparatus for allowing blood flow through an occluded vessel
First Claim
1. A method of withdrawing at least a portion of an occlusion away from a target small blood vessel exhibiting an occlusion, the method comprising:
- selecting an expandable tubular body having a proximal end and a distal end with a length therebetween;
constraining the tubular body in a first small diameter state within a recess of a delivery catheter so that a first member extends along the delivery catheter and is coupled with the proximal end of the tubular body and so that a second member extends along the delivery catheter and is coupled with the distal end of the tubular body;
advancing said selected expandable tubular body while constrained by the delivery catheter in said first small diameter state to the occlusion;
releasing the tubular body from the delivery catheter within the blood vessel and across the occlusion so that the selected and advanced expandable tubular body expands from the first small diameter to a second large diameter state;
at least one of reducing an open cross sectional area of the tubular body within the blood vessel by relative movement of the first and second members which expands the length between said proximal end and said distal end, and enlarging the open cross-sectional area of the tubular body within the blood vessel by relative movement of the first and second members which decreases the length between said proximal end and said distal end;
said enlarging comprising contacting the inner walls of a lumen of said blood vessel while exerting a radial force which is small enough so as not to traumatize said walls; and
withdrawing, during applying of a non-traumatizing radial force to said inner walls of said lumen, said tubular body from the target small blood vessel to withdraw at least a portion of said occlusion between said walls of said blood vessel and said tubular body without traumatizing said walls.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device arranged to sustain and/or provide at least partial patency of a small blood vessel exhibiting an occlusion, the device constituted of a tubular body expandable from a first small diameter state for manipulation to, and through, the occlusion of the small blood vessel and a second large diameter state, the inner dimensions of the second large diameter state being no more than 50% of the diameter of the small blood vessel at the occlusion location, the device presenting a conduit for blood flow through the occlusion when in the large diameter state. In one embodiment the small blood vessel is an intracranial blood vessel.
138 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method of withdrawing at least a portion of an occlusion away from a target small blood vessel exhibiting an occlusion, the method comprising:
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selecting an expandable tubular body having a proximal end and a distal end with a length therebetween; constraining the tubular body in a first small diameter state within a recess of a delivery catheter so that a first member extends along the delivery catheter and is coupled with the proximal end of the tubular body and so that a second member extends along the delivery catheter and is coupled with the distal end of the tubular body; advancing said selected expandable tubular body while constrained by the delivery catheter in said first small diameter state to the occlusion; releasing the tubular body from the delivery catheter within the blood vessel and across the occlusion so that the selected and advanced expandable tubular body expands from the first small diameter to a second large diameter state; at least one of reducing an open cross sectional area of the tubular body within the blood vessel by relative movement of the first and second members which expands the length between said proximal end and said distal end, and enlarging the open cross-sectional area of the tubular body within the blood vessel by relative movement of the first and second members which decreases the length between said proximal end and said distal end; said enlarging comprising contacting the inner walls of a lumen of said blood vessel while exerting a radial force which is small enough so as not to traumatize said walls; and withdrawing, during applying of a non-traumatizing radial force to said inner walls of said lumen, said tubular body from the target small blood vessel to withdraw at least a portion of said occlusion between said walls of said blood vessel and said tubular body without traumatizing said walls. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of treating an impaired region of a target small blood vessel, the method comprising:
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a. selecting an expandable tubular body having a proximal end and a distal end with a length therebetween; b. constraining the tubular body in a first small diameter state within a recess of a delivery catheter so that a first member extends along the delivery catheter and is coupled with the proximal end of the tubular body and so that a second member extends along the delivery catheter and is coupled with the distal end of the tubular body; c. advancing said selected expandable tubular body while constrained by the delivery catheter in said first small diameter state to an impaired region in said small blood vessel; d. releasing the tubular body from the delivery catheter within the blood vessel and across the impaired region so that the selected and advanced expandable tubular body expands from the first small diameter to a second large diameter state;
said releasing comprising contacting least a portion of the inner walls of a lumen of said blood vessel le exerting a radial force small enough so as not to traumatize said walls;e. at least one of reducing an open cross sectional area of the tubular body within the blood vessel by relative movement of the first and second members which expands the length between said proximal end and said distal end, and enlarging the open cross-sectional area of the tubular body by relative movement of the first and second members which decreases the length between said proximal end and said distal end; f. said enlarging comprising contacting the inner walls of a lumen of said blood vessel while exerting a radial force small enough so as not to traumatize said walls; and g. withdrawing said tubular body from the target small blood vessel during exerting of a non-traumatizing radial force on said at least a portion of said inner lumen walls; wherein said (a-g) do not traumatize said walls of said blood vessel. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification