An elongate endovascular element for crossing through an obstruction in a blood vessel comprises: a proximal section; a distal tip section of smaller diameter than the proximal section; and a distally-tapering intermediate section extending between the proximal and distal tip sections; wherein the tapered intermediate section has a length that is substantially λ/2 or a multiple of λ/2, where λ is a wavelength of a driving frequency that will produce longitudinal resonance in the element.

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.

A clot retrieval device for removing clot from a blood vessel including a plurality of ring elements comprising a plurality of struts forming one or more closed cells having one or more crown elements and attached together by connecting tethers at connection points, a plurality of openings through which clot may pass and enter the device, each opening being disposed between respective ring elements. Each ring element can be self-expandable from a collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration wherein a radial force biases the ring elements toward the expanded configuration. At least one of the crown element terminates in an apex away from a center axis of the device.

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.

A containing element is used to capture material in a blood vessel for removal. The containing element is advanced through the blood vessel or a catheter in a constricted configuration. A control body is coupled to the containing element which assists moving the containing element. In some embodiments, the containing element is used for restricting blood flow within a vessel.

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.

Apparatus for passing a blocked vein, including: (a) an intravascular catheter body defining at least one lumen; (b) a radially expandable anchor at a distal end of said catheter; and (c) a penetration tool sized and shaped to be delivered by the lumen to a point distal of the expandable anchor, the penetration tool including a tip and configured for being pushed through venous blockage more than one week old and present with a young's modulus greater than 1 MPa. Optionally, the penetration tool tip comprises a sharpened tip. Optionally or additionally, the penetration tool tip is controllably bendable.

Devices, systems and methods for treating diseases and disorders effecting the cardiovascular system of the human body are disclosed. An exemplary device in accordance with this disclosure comprises a shaft, tip member fixed to the shaft, and a probe extending beyond a distal surface of the tip member. In some useful embodiments, the tip member is relatively atraumatic and the probe is shaped so as to be more likely to produce trauma than the tip member.

Methods for restoring blood flow in occluded blood vessels using an apparatus having a self-expandable distal segment that is pre-formed to assume a superimposed structure in an unconstrained condition but can be made to take on a volume-reduced form making it possible to introduce it with a microcatheter and a push wire arranged at the proximal end, with the distal segment in its superimposed structure assuming the form of a longitudinally open tube and having a mesh structure of interconnected strings or filaments or struts. In a preferred embodiment, the distal segment has a tapering structure at its proximal end where the strings or filaments or struts converge at a connection point.

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.