Patent ID: 6544276
Filing Date: 2003-04-08
Classification: A61B,A61F,A61M

Abstract:
A method of performing treatment in a blood vessel while isolating emboli to a portion of the blood vessel, the method comprising the steps of:(a) delivering a guidewire having a proximal end and a distal end into the vasculature of a patient until the distal end is near to a treatment site in the blood vessel, the distal end of the guidewire having an occlusive device thereon, the occlusive device being actuatable between an expanded state in which the occlusive device engages at least a portion of the walls of the blood vessel, and a nonexpanded state in which the occlusive device does not engage the walls of the blood vessel; (b) delivering a first therapy catheter comprising an elongate catheter shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and at least one lumen, over the guidewire until the distal end of the first therapy catheter is near to the treatment site; (c) performing a first therapy treatment which results in the presence of emboli in the blood vessel at the treatment site; (d) removing the first therapy catheter from the guidewire; (e) delivering a second therapy catheter comprising an elongate catheter shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and at least one lumen, over the guidewire until the distal end of the second therapy catheter is near to the treatment site; (f) performing a second therapy treatment which results in the presence of emboli in the blood vessel at the treatment site; (g) removing the second therapy catheter from the guidewire; (h) delivering an emboli removal device comprising an elongate catheter shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and at least one lumen, over the guidewire until the distal end of the emboli removal device is near to the treatment site; and (i) removing emboli from the blood vessel through a lumen of the emboli removal device; wherein the occlusive device is in its expanded state distal to the treatment site continuously at least from step (c) to step (i) to isolate the emboli at the treatment site.