Patent ID: 6767353
Filing Date: 2004-07-27
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A method for removing an obstructive material from within a patient's vasculature utilizing a flexible catheter slideable over a guidewire that has a rotatable guidewire shield in the form of an inner tube, nested in an outer tube, said tubes having open distal ends, said tubes' distal ends being adjacent to one another, said tubes defining between them an unobstructed void, having an open distal end and a distal section of said catheter consists essentially of the distal portions of said tubes, said inner tube having no connection to any element for cutting or fragmenting said obstructive material so as to minimally disturb the material in the vasculature prior to aspirating it into the void, said method comprising the following steps:introducing the guidewire through the patient's vasculature to the vicinity of the obstructive material; inserting into said vasculature, over said guidewire, a distal section of the catheter to the vicinity of the obstructive material while selectively rotating the inner tube as needed to reduce the frictional resistance between said catheter and the guidewire; connecting said void to negative pressure to aspirate said obstructive material into said void while selectively rotating the inner tube as needed to keep the material moving through said void while minimally disturbing the material in the vasculature; and withdrawing the catheter from the patient.