Clot retrieval system

Abstract

A platform of devices for removing obstructions and other objects within a blood vessel or other interior lumen of an animal is provided. The system may be deployed in the lumen from a catheter(s) and the system includes a proximal hub, and a distal basket comprised of a plurality of cells. A number of different baskets designs are disclosed. Methods of manufacturing such baskets out of a single tube of a memory metal without the need for any welding or soldering, and methods of use are also disclosed.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14 / 794,783, filed Jul. 8, 2015 and entitled “CLOT RETRIEVAL SYSTEM”, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14 / 558,712 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,155,552), filed Dec. 2, 2014 and entitled “CLOT RETRIEVAL SYSTEM, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14 / 558,705 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,173,668), filed Dec. 2, 2014 and entitled “CLOT RETRIEVAL SYSTEM”, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14 / 147,491 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,900,265), entitled “CLOT RETRIEVAL SYSTEM” and filed Jan. 3, 2014. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14 / 558,705 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,173,668) further claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61 / 994,934, filed May 18, 2014 and entitled “ARTICULATING CLOT RETRIEVAL SYSTEM”. The entire contents of all of the above patent applications are hereby incorporated by ref...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The system effectively removes hard clots from intracranial vessels without causing further ischemia or embolization, ensuring timely and safe clot retrieval.

Problems solved by technology

Needless to say, when a blood clot creates such a blockage, time in removing the clot is critical.

The removal of intracranial obstructions is limited by several factors, such as the distance of the intracranial obstruction from the femoral access site, the tortuosity (twists and turns in the artery as it enters the base of the skull) of the cervical and proximal intracranial vasculature, the small size of the vessels and the extremely thin walls of intracranial vessels, which lack a significant muscular layer.

The device should be retrievable without the need for proximal occlusion of the vessel, which carries risk of further ischemia and risk of vessel injury.

Currently available intravascular thrombus and foreign body removal devices lack several of these features.

All the devices are ineffectual at removing organized hard thrombus that embolize to the brain from the heart and from atherosclerotic proximal vessels.

Most of the time, the device fails to dislodge the thrombus from the wall of the vessel and often, even when successfully dislodging the thrombus, the thrombus embolizes into another or the same vessel due to the open ended nature of the device.

The device is ineffective at removing hard, organized thrombus which has embolized from the heart, cholesterol plaque from proximal feeding arteries and other foreign bodies.

Again, these devices are ineffectual at treating hard thrombus.

Upon retrieval of the devices, the clot remains or is broken up into several pieces which embolize to vessels further along the vessel.

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