In a multiple-lumen catheter having multiple guidewires for treatment of vascular blockages, the catheter comprising a proximal-end assembly, a distal-end portion and a multi-lumen medial portion therebetween, the improvement wherein: (1) the multiple guidewires are preloaded in the catheter, each guidewire in its own single-guidewire lumen extending from its own guidewire entry port in the proximal-end assembly to a lumen convergence portion; and (2) the distal-end portion includes: (a) the lumen convergence portion along which the multiple lumens merge into a single output lumen sized to match the largest-diameter lumen of the multiple lumens, (b) an intermediate distal-end section connected to the lumen convergence portion and surrounding the single output lumen continuing therethrough, and (c) a tapered tip surrounding the single output lumen continuing therethrough.

An atherectomy device for removing deposits such as plaque from an interior of a vessel including an outer member and a rotatable shaft positioned for rotational movement within the outer member and fixed axially within the outer member. A tip is mounted to the distal region of the rotatable shaft and is positioned distally of the distal end of the outer member to create a gap between the proximal end of the rotatable tip and the distalmost edge of the outer member. The rotatable tip has a longitudinal axis mounted to the rotatable shaft for rotation about its longitudinal axis upon rotation of the shaft, the shaft including a guidewire lumen for receiving a guidewire to enable over the wire insertion of the device.

Systems and methods for removing a material from a lumen or duct include a guide wire to navigate to the material and a cutting assembly that can then be guided along the guide wire to reach the material. A proximal wire end can be connected to a pump device configured to provide an irrigation substance along a delivery channel of the guide wire and release the irrigation substance at a distal wire end. A power source can apply a current to the guide wire to magnetize a coupling assembly disposed on the guide wire. The cutting assembly can couple to the guide wire by engaging a locking mechanism of the cutting assembly with a coupling assembly of the guide wire. The locking mechanism can receive torque provided by a motor coupled to the proximal wire end of the guide wire to rotate the cutting tool of the cutting assembly to remove the material.

A method of removing tissue in a body lumen includes advancing a tissue-removing catheter over a guidewire in the body lumen to position a distal end of the catheter adjacent the tissue and a proximal end portion of the catheter outside of the body lumen. The catheter includes an elongate body, a tissue removing element mounted on a distal end portion of the elongate body, and an inner liner disposed within the elongate body. The inner liner defines a guidewire lumen in which the guidewire is disposed during the advancement of the catheter. The method further includes rotating the elongate body and tissue-removing element of the catheter to remove the tissue. Detecting wear of the inner liner caused by the elongate body contacting the inner liner during use.

In various embodiments, the present specification discloses an aspiration catheter that has a slim profile, can effectively anchor or self-center in a location, within a patient's vessel lumen, to better provide directed suction or vacuum/negative pressure, and/or can effectively funnel or direct suction or vacuum/negative pressure toward an occlusion or obstruction within the patient's vessel lumen.

Retrieval of material from vessel lumens can be improved by use of a distal element comprising an expandable mesh, a treatment device includes an elongated member having a proximal portion and a distal portion configured to be positioned within a blood vessel at a treatment site at or near a thrombus. A distal element comprising an expandable mesh is coupled to the distal portion of the elongated member via a connection assembly. In an expanded state, at least a portion of the mesh is configured to be in apposition with the blood vessel wall at the treatment site to anchor or stabilize the elongated member with respect to the blood vessel. The distal element can be electrically coupled to an extracorporeal current generator.

A system for treating a patient having thrombus including an aspiration catheter having an aspiration lumen configured to be coupled to a vacuum source and configured for aspirating thrombus therethrough, an elongate member having a straight distal portion configured to extend from the aspiration lumen into a thrombus within the blood vessel, and a manipulation device selectively coupled to the elongate member, the manipulation device being configured to apply motive force to the elongate member, wherein the motive force comprises a combination of motive force components comprising an alternating clockwise motion and counter-clockwise motion.

Inverting tube apparatuses having an inverting tube (e.g., a knitted tube) that is configured to roll into an inversion support catheter and capture material from within a body lumen such as a blood vessel, in which the knitted tube is configured to prevent locking down onto the outside of the inversion support catheter. The inversion support catheter may include an expandable funnel at the distal end thereof having an interior profile that is adapted to capture and break apart hard material captured by the tractor so that it may be pulled into the inversion support catheter for removal.

Telescoping, self-driving, and laterally-pushing atherectomy devices are provided, each having a flexible sheath, a cutter with helical flutes, and a drive assembly. The drive assembly can have a flexible driveshaft rotatably translational with the lumen of the flexible sheath, a positive displacement pump to transport cut tissue, and a flexible drive shaft that can be longer than the flexible sheath for a reversible telescoping of the drive assembly from the lumen of the flexible sheath. The positive displacement pump can be a screw pump having a drive screw portion exposed for contact with a vascular lumen for a self-driving of the device through the vascular lumen. A reversibly-expandable, lateral pushing member can be included at the distal end of the flexible sheath for a lateral pushing of the cutter. Improved cutting heads, and methods of making them, are provided for cutting a combination of soft and hard plaque.

The present specification is directed towards catheter devices having expandable and collapsible lumens. Air or fluid is pumped into the catheter wall to cause it to expand. Alternatively, wires are embedded within the wall and a direction of flow of electrical current through the wires is modulated to enable the catheter device to be in the collapsed or expanded state. For example, a first wire is embedded within the wall and is helically wound along a length of the catheter device. A second wire is provided that can be removably positioned within the lumen. The direction of flow of electric current through the first and second wires is modulated to enable the catheter device to be in the collapsed or expanded state.