Patent ID: 7530976

Claim:
A method for disrupting a lesion within a blood vessel, said method comprising: introducing a single catheter element into the blood vessel wherein the catheter element is comprised of an irrigation lumen terminating with at least one irrigation port at a distal end of the catheter element and an aspiration lumen terminating with at least one aspiration port; advancing the distal end of the catheter element to a location proximal to the lesion without forming any occlusion distal to the lesion; activating a trigger of a fluid exchange apparatus comprising an irrigation reservoir in fluid connection with the irrigation lumen and having means for controlled delivery of irrigant fluid from the irrigation reservoir through the irrigation lumen to the lesion and an aspiration lumen having means for controlled collection of aspirant fluid, wherein the activating step produces a controlled delivery of irrigant fluid from the irrigation reservoir through the irrigation lumen and wherein a mechanical linkage causes removal of aspirant fluid from the localized region through the aspiration lumen; and wherein this step of activating the trigger produces turbulent fluid exchange at the lesion from the simultaneous delivery of irrigant fluid and removal of aspirant fluid.