Patent ID: 8021379

Claim:
A method for removing an obstruction within a body lumen, the method comprising the steps of: tracking an obstruction removal system through the body lumen to the obstruction over an indwelling guidewire, wherein the obstruction removal system includes a catheter shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, the catheter shaft defining a first lumen having a distal exit port and a second lumen having a distal reentry port and a third lumen extending along at least a distal portion of the catheter shaft, wherein the first lumen and the second lumen extend side-by-side from the proximal end to the distal end of the catheter shaft, and a drive belt having a plurality of capture devices occurring along at least a portion thereof, wherein the drive belt extends through each of the first and second lumens to form a loop that extends from the proximal and distal ends of the catheter shaft and wherein the guidewire extends through the third lumen while the obstruction removal system is being tracked through the body lumen to the obstruction; positioning the obstruction removal system such that the distal end of the catheter shaft is near the obstruction within the body lumen; circulating the drive belt through the catheter shaft such that the plurality of capture devices advance through the first lumen, exit the catheter shaft through the distal exit port, travel through the obstruction distal of the catheter shaft, reenter the catheter shaft through the distal reentry port and advance through the second lumen; removing at least a portion of the obstruction from the body lumen in a bit-by-bit fashion as each capture device travels distal of the catheter shaft between the distal exit port and the distal reentry port of the catheter shaft; and removing substantially the entire obstruction from the body lumen after the plurality of capture devices are circulated through the catheter shaft in a series of passes.