Patent ID: 7367982

Claim:
A method for opening a lumen in an occluded blood vessel portion of a living being's vascular system, the occluded blood vessel portion being occluded by an occlusive material, said method comprising: A. providing a stent, an instrument for deploying said stent and a debris extraction system, B. extending said instrument into the being's vascular system to deploy said stent to the occlusive material in the interior of the occluded blood vessel portion to open a lumen therein for the flow of blood therethrough, whereupon some debris may be produced, and C. operating said debris extraction system to introduce an infusate liquid at a first flow rate adjacent the occlusive material and to withdraw said liquid at a second and higher flow rate to create a differential flow adjacent the occlusive material, whereupon the debris is withdrawn by said differential flow from the occluded vessel portion during the deployment of said stent.