×

Methods for restoring blood flow within blocked vasculature

  • US 9,931,128 B2
  • Filed: 09/26/2013
  • Issued: 04/03/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2006
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A method of improving blood flow in a blood vessel having an obstruction, the method comprising:

  • advancing a microcatheter into the blood vessel, the microcatheter containing an obstruction removal device having an expandable structure located at the end of a leading member, the expandable structure including an intermediate portion extending between a proximal end and a distal end and including first and second regions, the expandable structure comprising a plurality of filaments and having a central longitudinal axis;

    positioning an opening of the microcatheter beyond a distal end of the obstruction;

    deploying the distal end of the obstruction removal device beyond the distal end of the obstruction such that the distal end of the obstruction removal device self-expands towards the blood vessel wall;

    withdrawing the microcatheter proximal to the obstruction while maintaining the expandable structure of the obstruction removal device in position such that the proximal and distal ends of the expandable structure span across the obstruction and where the proximal end self-expands within the vessel while spaced apart from the obstruction, thereby allowing the intermediate portion to embed into the obstruction;

    holding the obstruction via the intermediate portion of the expandable structure between the first and second regions, wherein the filaments of the expandable structure converge radially inwardly toward the central longitudinal axis to meet within each of the first and second regions; and

    withdrawing the obstruction removal device and obstruction from the vessel to improve blood flow in the blood vessel.

View all claims
  • 3 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×