Patent ID: 7220269

Claim:
A method for thrombectomy comprising the steps of: a. providing a guide catheter, the guide catheter having a distal end and a proximally situated manifold with a hemostasis nut and a lumen, and providing an occluder guidewire tube having a proximal end and a distal end, with a guidewire coil and an occluder at the distal end, and providing a capture catheter, the capture catheter having a distal end with a retractable capture cone and a fluid jet emanator affixed thereto, the fluid jet emanator including at least one proximally directed jet orifice, and a proximally located manifold, the proximally located manifold having an exhaust branch, a high pressure connection branch, and a hemostasis valve adapted for passage of the occluder guidewire tube; b. advancing the distal end of the guide catheter into a vessel to a position adjacent to and proximal to a thrombus buildup; c. loading and advancing the distal end of the occluder guidewire tube through the hemostasis nut and into and through the manifold of the guide catheter and thence through the lumen of the guide catheter; d. advancing the distal end of the occluder guidewire tube, including the guidewire coil and the occluder, beyond the distal end of the guide catheter and through and beyond the thrombus buildup; e. loading the distal end of the capture catheter, including the retractable capture cone and the fluid jet emanator over the proximal end of the occluder guidewire tube; f. expanding the occluder to occlude the vessel; g. positioning the capture catheter to an appropriate position and expandingly deploying the retractable capture cone adjacent to and just beyond the distal end of the guide catheter, thereby isolating the thrombus in the vessel between the deployed retractable capture cone and the expanded occluder; h. providing and activating a high pressure medium to the fluid jet emanator so as to form rearwardly directed fluid jets; i. macerating, dislodging, reducing, and breaking up the thrombus with the fluid jets; and, j. evacuating the macerated, dislodged, reduced and broken-up thrombus.