A medical device to be inserted into a blood vessel for effectively removing an object flowing in a biological lumen while reducing the burden on the living body includes an elongated shaft portion, and an expansion portion which is an elastically deformable cylindrical body having a plurality of gaps and in which a proximal portion or a distal portion of the cylindrical body is interlocked with the shaft portion. The expansion portion has a ring-shaped or annular bent portion which protrudes toward a proximal side position radially outside the expansion portion in a bent state of being bent along an axial direction, and an axial length of a second portion from the bent portion to a proximal end of the expansion portion is shorter than an axial length of a first portion from the bent portion to the distal end of the expansion portion.

A method is disclosed for removing a vascular occlusion, such as a clot, from a blood vessel. A tubular sheath is inserted into the vessel and a self-expanding Nitinol mesh filter is deployed from a distal end of the tubular sheath at a location proximal to a clot. An inner catheter is advanced through the tubular sheath and through the mesh filter for contacting the clot. An expandable agitation element is provided along a distal end portion of the inner catheter for cutting or chopping the clot, thereby facilitating removal of the clot and improving blood flow through the vessel. Resulting clot particles are captured by the mesh filter. Negative pressure may be applied along a proximal end portion of the sheath for aspirating remaining particles. Certain embodiments of the method are well-suited for treating deep vein thrombosis and do not require the use of thrombolytic drugs.

A thrombectomy system and method of extraction of thrombus are disclosed. The thrombectomy system comprises a delivery catheter; an aspiration catheter, comprising an aspiration funnel, configured to be movably disposed within the delivery catheter in a retracted position and at least partially outside the delivery catheter in an extended and expanded position, the funnel comprising a non-permeable covering, the funnel being configured to adapt its shape and length to a surrounding blood vessel such that the funnel reduces blood flow through the blood vessel and lengthens as it narrows to retain a thrombus within the funnel; a clot-capture element configured to capture the thrombus and to be at least partially withdrawn with the captured thrombus into the funnel; and a microcatheter adapted to carry the clot-capture element to the thrombus. The clot-capture element is movably disposed within the microcatheter in a retracted position. The microcatheter is movably disposed within the aspiration catheter.

Described embodiments are directed toward an embolic filter system. The embolic filter system generally includes a filter and an elongated element that can be articulated relative to one another. In some examples, the filter includes an articulation element that facilitates articulation between a proximal and distal end of the filter. In some examples, an articulation element is positioned between the filter and the elongate element.

Embodiments of the present disclosure include, for example, an embolic protection system (EPS) including an inner-body having a body diameter and a distal section, and an expandable filter arranged on or adjacent at least the distal section of the inner-body. The filter is configured to include a plurality of pores, sized to allow the flow of the blood with limited interruption and capture of emboli greater than the pore size. Such embodiments may also include an expandable introducer sheath/sleeve having a sheath diameter configured to accommodate the inner-body and filter, including the distal portion, when unexpanded, as well as a tear-away (TA) sleeve having a sleeve diameter configured to accommodate the introducer sheath containing the inner-body and filter when unexpanded.

In some aspects, the present disclosure pertains to self-expanding emboli-capturing centering devices for centering a medical instrument in a conduit within a patient. The centering devices comprise (a) an elongate shaft, (b) a self-expanding centering member having an open distal end and an inner surface forming a central lumen with a flared distal portion, the centering member being configured such that a fluid flowing in a distal-to-proximal direction that is received by the open distal end flows proximally along the flared distal portion of the central lumen before exiting the central lumen through one or more openings in a proximal portion of the centering member, and (c) a filter material configured to filter the fluid received by the open distal end of the centering member. Other aspects of the present disclosure pertain to systems and methods employing such centering devices.

The present invention provides devices for removing an embolus or thrombus. The device includes an elongate member configured for insertion into the vasculature, an expandable member that extends from the distal end of the elongate member, and a flow restrictor associated with a proximal portion of the expandable member. The expandable member is configured to transition from a compacted state to an expanded state, in which the expandable portion engages with the embolus. The flow restrictor is configured to restrict blood flow and generate a low pressure zone at a location in the vasculature that is distal to the flow restrictor.

A method for delivering a therapeutic agent to a tumor through a target vessel includes delivering the therapeutic agent through a lumen of a catheter which has been coated or otherwise structured to reduce the wall shear stress during delivery of the immunotherapy and by generating turbulent flow during the delivery of the therapeutic agent.

A method includes indwelling a filter inside a body lumen in a living body so that the filter is indwelled at a position downstream from a stenosed site in the body lumen, moving a collection device in a downstream direction within the living body from upstream of the stenosed site to the stenosed site while the filter remains indwelled at the position downstream from the stenosed site, engaging the filter with the collection device while the filter is indwelled at the position downstream from the stenosed site so that the filter is connected to the collection device, and removing the collection device and the filter from the living body by moving both the filter and the collection device in an upstream direction while the filter and the collection device are engaged with one another.

A clot retrieval device for removing an occlusive clot from a blood vessel. The device includes a clot engagement section having a constrained delivery configuration and an expanded deployed configuration, wherein in the expanded deployed configuration. The clot engagement section can include a plurality of peak sections configured to vary contact pressure between the clot and the device along a length of the device; and a plurality of troughs between respective peak sections comprising a clot reception space. Each peak is configured to exert a relatively high compressive force on the clot whereas each trough is configured to exert little or no compressive force on the clot.