Patent ID: 8449525

Claim:
A method of dislodging tissue from a catheter, the method comprising: providing a dialysis catheter comprising an elongated main body defining a longitudinal axis and having a length along the longitudinal axis between a distal end and a proximal end, the elongated main body defining at least one internal lumen, a side-port in fluid communication with the at least one internal lumen, and an inflatable balloon disposed adjacent to the side-port on an outer surface of the elongated main body and configured to move from a deflated state to an inflated state; and inflating the inflatable balloon to dislodge tissue from the elongated main body by expanding the inflatable balloon in a distal direction so that at least a distal portion of the inflatable balloon extends over at least a proximal portion of the side-port and moves material away from, or into, the side port as the inflatable balloon expands in the distal direction.