Patent ID: 7938820

Claim:
A single lumen thrombectomy catheter comprising a suction device, a proximal portion fluidly connected to the suction device, a tubular shaft attached at its proximal end to the proximal portion, a tip portion at the distal end of the tubular shaft having a first configuration and a second configuration, which is the natural configuration of the catheter, the second configuration being curved relative to the first configuration, and an actuation device that can release the tip portion from the first configuration such that the tip portion assumes the second configuration, wherein the single lumen is a continuous suction lumen extends from the proximal portion to the tip portion of the catheter, wherein the tip portion comprises a suction port that is a distal opening of the tip portion and the suction port is in fluid communication through the suction lumen with the suction device, and wherein the actuation device comprises a guide structure with a flexible distal section that is sufficiently flexible so that the tip portion transitions to the second configuration when the guide structure is withdrawn relative to the tubular shaft in a proximal direction to appropriately align the flexible distal section with the tip portion.