Methods and apparatus for flow restoration

• Main Authors: WILDER III, Thomas, SLEE, Earl Howard, ASHBY, Mark Philip, FRANCO, David, SHRIVASTAVA, Sanjay, MCCARTHY, Thomas
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 04.03.2021
• Subjects: BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF,TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, E.G. STENTS; DIAGNOSIS; FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; FIRST-AID KITS; FOMENTATION; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; IDENTIFICATION; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; PROSTHESES; SURGERY; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS

METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR FLOW RESTORATION A method for mobilizing a thrombus (12) in a cerebral blood vessel, the method comprising: (a) delivering a thrombus-removal apparatus through a microcatheter (8) to the cerebral blood vessel, the apparatus comprising a self-expandable tubular structure (5) having a proximal end, a distal end, and a plurality of cells, the structure (5) being configured to assume an expanded configuration at a site of the thrombus (12), and to be in a compressed configuration for delivery through the microcatheter (8), the compressed configuration having a smaller maximum cross-sectional dimension than the expanded configuration, the structure (5) being configured to expand into the thrombus (12) when transitioning from the compressed configuration to the expanded configuration; (b) positioning the structure (5) in the cerebral blood vessel such that the distal end is downstream of the thrombus (12), and the proximal end is upstream of the thrombus (12); and (c) with the structure positioned as in (b), proximally withdrawing the microcatheter from over the structure such that the structure transitions to the expanded configuration and at least an outer portion of the structure engages and applies an outward radial force on the thrombus (12), whereby the structure (5) interlocks with at least a portion of the thrombus (12), the portion of the thrombus (12)extending both inside of the structure and outside of the structure (5); and (d) retracting the apparatus, with the portion of the thrombus (12), toward a catheter while the portion of the thrombus (12) extends both inside of the structure and outside of the structure.