Patent ID: 9161766
Filing Date: 2015-10-20
Classification: A61B,A61F

Abstract:
1. A method for mobilizing a thrombus in a cerebral blood vessel, comprising: (a) delivering a thrombus-removal apparatus through a microcatheter to the cerebral blood vessel, the apparatus comprising a self-expandable tubular structure having a proximal end, a distal end, and a plurality of cells, the structure being configured to assume an expanded configuration at a site of the thrombus, and to be in a compressed configuration for delivery through the microcatheter, the compressed configuration having a smaller maximum cross-sectional dimension than the expanded configuration, the structure being configured to expand into the thrombus when transitioning from the compressed configuration to the expanded configuration; (b) positioning the structure in the cerebral blood vessel such that the distal end is downstream of the thrombus, and the proximal end is upstream of the thrombus; 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, whereby the structure interlocks with at least a portion of the thrombus, the portion of the thrombus extending both inside of the structure and outside of the structure; and (d) retracting the apparatus, with the portion of the thrombus, toward a catheter while the portion of the thrombus extends both inside of the structure and outside of the structure.