The devices and methods described herein relate to improved structures for removing obstructions from body lumens. Such devices have applicability in through-out the ho including clearing of blockages within the vasculature, by addressing the frictional resistance on the obstruction prior to attempting to translate and/or mobilize the obstruction within the body lumen.

Mechanical thrombectomy apparatuses that may be configured to prevent or reduce jamming (e.g., anti-jamming thrombectomy devices), grab clot, and/or macerate the thrombus, e.g., clot, being removed. These mechanical thrombectomy apparatuses may include a tractor comprising a flexible tube of material that inverts as it rolls over itself while being drawn into a catheter in a conveyor-like motion. In particular, described herein are mechanical thrombectomy apparatuses having tractors selectably extendable projections that may aid in grabbing and/or macerating a clot. Also described herein are seesawing tractors for mechanical thrombectomy apparatuses.

A method and apparatus for treating a clot in the blood vessel of a patient, and particularly the treatment of a pulmonary embolism is disclosed. The treatment includes restoring flow through the clot followed by clot removal, either partially or substantially completely. The clot treatment device is expandable into the blood vessel and may contain radial extensions that assist in restoring flow as well as in removing clot material.

A venous valve incising cutter includes a cutting teeth head, a guide, a wire and a coupling rod that couples the guide and a cutting teeth head, all aligned in a rotation axis thereof. More than four pieces of cutting blades are formed on the outer surrounding surface of the cutting teeth head. Each cutting blade has a roughly triangular pyramid shape such that the three ridge lines are composed of the outer surrounding surface of the cutting teeth head and the two planes formed in the reverse side of the outer surrounding surface and the apex is a knife-point of the cutting blade.

An intravascular device is provided having a flexible catheter tube with an expandable portion located on an end thereof. The expandable portion has a plurality of struts capable of being moved between an expanded and a collapsed position. An incising element provided along at least a portion of one of the struts has a sharpened edge for creating an incision in atherosclerotic material located within a blood vessel and generating microparticles of the same when the expandable portion is in the expanded position.

A method for performing balloon catheterization of a zone of attention is provided. An intravascular device has an expandable portion secured to a distal end of a catheter tube. The expandable portion has a number of struts, at least one having an incising element extending perpendicular therefrom. The intravascular device is placed within a person's vascular system and moved to the zone of attention where the expandable portion is expanded and manipulated along the zone of attention to score the atherosclerotic material located in the blood vessel. Subsequently, a balloon catheter device is moved to the zone of attention and inflated to compress or fragment the scored atherosclerotic material.

Methods and systems for separating an object, such as a lead, from formed tissue are provided. Specifically, a tissue slitting device is configured to engage patient formed tissue at a slitting engagement point. While the object is subjected to a first traction force, the tissue slitting device is caused to move further into the engaged tissue and slit the tissue past the point of engagement. The slitting device causes the tissue to separate along an axial direction of the length of the formed tissue and releases at least some of the force containing the object. The methods and systems are well suited for use in cardiac pacing or defibrillator lead explant procedures.

The devices and methods described herein relate to improved structures for removing obstructions from body lumens. Such devices have applicability in through-out the body, including clearing of blockages within the vasculature, by addressing the frictional resistance on the obstruction prior to attempting to translate and/or mobilize the obstruction within the body lumen.

A rotating cutting head catheter for passage through chronic total occlusions or other refractory atherosclerotic plaque from diseased arteries is disclosed. The catheter's rotating cutting head is designed to reside safely within an outer protective sheath when not in use. The outer protective sheath contains one or more helical grooves or slots, and the cutting head contains protruding blades or projections that fit into these helical grooves or slots. Application of torque to an inner catheter or wire attached to the cutting head applies spin to the cutting head, and the force of the sheath's helical grooves or slots against the cutting head's protruding blades or projections advances the cutting head outward from the protective sheath. Once extended, the cutting head may now rotate freely. The device may use a guidewire to direct the cutting head to the desired position.

Multi-procedural technology by which, collectively, deposits of plaque are more efficiently and more effectively removed from arteries is disclosed, including kit and method techniques by which arterial plaque is sequentially treated through a single surgically-created arterial opening, followed by sequential arterial insertion and removal of medical instruments and appliances by which a bond at the interface between the plaque and the arterial well is first disunified and destrengthened after which plaque is excavated and removed and, in some instances, a novel tubular graft and encased proximal stent adheringly installed.