Patent ID: 8038674

Claim:
A catheter system for ablating a partial or a complete blockage of a corporal vessel, the catheter system comprising: a catheter sleeve defining a lumen extending therethrough, the catheter sleeve defining a distal end portion and a proximal end portion; a pair of electrodes disposed at the distal end portion of the catheter sleeve, wherein the pair of electrodes are disposed on opposed sides of the lumen of the catheter sleeve; and a guidewire slidably disposed within the lumen of the catheter sleeve, the guidewire including a capture element supported proximate a distal end thereof, wherein the guidewire is slidable with respect to the catheter sleeve to expose the capture element from the distal end portion of the catheter sleeve; wherein the capture element includes a first condition wherein the capture element is retracted onto the guidewire and a second condition wherein the capture element is thermally treated to radially expand relative to the guidewire such that the capture element at least substantially spans the entire lumen of the vessel.