Patent ID: 8066757
Filing Date: 2011-11-29
Classification: A61B,A61F,A61M

Abstract:
1. A thrombus management method for the treatment of ischemic stroke, the method comprising: identifying an occluded blood vessel having an occlusive thrombus; selecting an expandable tip assembly based, at least in part, on a diameter of the identified occluded blood vessel, the expandable tip assembly comprising a proximal elongate member and a distal self-expanding scaffold having an open, non-filtering distal end; inserting the selected expandable tip assembly within the occluded vessel through a microcatheter such that the self-expanding scaffold is positioned at a location of the thrombus in a non-expanded configuration; retracting the microcatheter, thereby causing the scaffold to expand to an expanded configuration; wherein said expansion compresses the thrombus against a wall of the blood vessel; wherein said compression of the thrombus restores blood flow within the blood vessel; wherein said restored blood flow facilitates natural lysis of the thrombus; and macerating the thrombus by resheathing the self-expanding scaffold and unsheathing the self-expanding scaffold within the microcatheter, thereby facilitating mechanical lysis and fragmentation of the thrombus without using the self-expanding scaffold or a distal embolic protection member for distal filtering.