Patent ID: 8679058

Claim:
Apparatus for eliminating a clot formed on an internal wall of a blood vessel through which blood flows in a given direction, said apparatus comprising: a guide wire; and a catheter dimensioned to be inserted over said guide wire into the blood vessel in the direction of blood flow, said catheter having: a longitudinal axis, a distal end, a proximal end, and an outer lateral surface, and said catheter has a main body portion and, at said distal end, a tapered tip; a longitudinal lumen extending along the longitudinal axis from said proximal end and opening at said distal end; at least one blood inlet opening extending from said lateral surface and communicating with said longitudinal lumen; at least one blood outlet opening extending from said lateral surface at a location adjacent said tapered distal end and communicating with said longitudinal lumen; a balloon inflation lumen extending from said proximal end to said lateral surface at first and second locations spaced apart along said longitudinal axis and located between said at least one blood inlet opening and said at least one blood outlet opening, and isolated from said longitudinal lumen; a treatment/fluid suction lumen extending from said proximal end to said lateral surface at a third location between said first and second locations, and isolated from said longitudinal lumen and said balloon inflation lumen; and first and second balloons attached to said outer surface of said catheter and each having an internal volume communicating with said balloon inflation lumen at a respective one of said first and second locations, wherein said tapered tip of said catheter is more rigid than said main body portion of said catheter and has an axial length of at least 1 cm.