Patent ID: 7322958

Claim:
An apparatus for capturing and retrieving embolic material from a blood vessel, the apparatus comprising: a first hollow tube having a proximal end and a distal end having inflation apertures, wherein the distal end is insertable into the vessel; a second hollow tube coaxially and slidably positioned over the first hollow tube, wherein a wall of the second hollow tube includes a plurality of aspiration apertures structured and configured for retrieving the embolic material; a seal preventing fluid communication between the inflation apertures of the first hollow tube and the aspiration apertures at the distal end of the second hollow tube; and a radially expandable segment expandable from a deflated position to an inflated position in contact with an inner wall of the blood vessel structured and configured for capturing the embolic material to be retrieved, wherein a proximal portion of the radially expandable segment is attached to the second hollow tube at a position distal to the aspiration apertures, and a distal portion of the radially expandable segment is attached to the first hollow tube at a position distal to the inflation apertures.