A method of removing embolic material from a vessel with mechanical and aspiration assistance. The method comprises the steps of providing an aspiration catheter having a central lumen and a distal end, advancing the distal end of the aspiration catheter to obstructive material in a vessel, applying vacuum to the central lumen to draw clot into the central lumen, introducing a thrombus engagement tool into the central lumen, and manually manipulating the tip to engage clot between the tip and an inside wall of the central lumen.

A system for assisting in the retrieval of a clot from a vessel. The system can include an outer catheter and an inner catheter disposed in a lumen of the outer catheter. The inner catheter can include a distal end, a proximal end, a distal segment, a proximal segment, and a lumen extending proximal of the distal end and terminating at a transfer port at the proximal end of the distal segment. A seal is located on the outer surface of the inner catheter distal of the transfer port, the seal capable of sealing against the lumen of the outer catheter so that aspiration applied through the outer catheter is configured to be transferred to the inner catheter.

Systems and methods for the intravascular treatment of clot material within a blood vessel of a human patient are disclosed herein. A method in accordance with embodiments of the present technology can include, for example, positioning a distal portion of a catheter proximate to the clot material within the blood vessel. The method can further include coupling a pressure source to the catheter via a tubing subsystem including a valve or other fluid control device and, while the valve is closed, activating the pressure source to charge a vacuum. The valve can then be opened to apply the vacuum to the catheter to thereby aspirate at least a portion of the clot material from the blood vessel and into the catheter.

Systems and methods are provided for removing air from a medical device, such as a stent-graft and/or its delivery device. In an exemplary embodiment, the stent-graft or its delivery system or both are exposed to perfluorocarbon, by immersing the stent-graft or flushing the delivery device to remove air from the stent-graft. Optionally, the stent-graft and/or delivery system may be flushed multiple times, e.g., with perfluorocarbon before or after flushing with carbon dioxide, saline, a bio-inert gas, and the like. Thereafter, the stent-graft may be introduced into a patient's body and deployed at a target location, such as the site of an abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Described herein is a shock wave device for the treatment of vascular occlusions. The shock wave device includes an outer covering and an inner member inner connected at a distal end of the device. First and second conductive wires extend along the length of the device within the volume between the outer covering and the inner member. A conductive emitter band circumscribes the ends of the first and second wires to form a first spark gap between the end of the first wire and the emitter band and a second spark gap between the end of the second wire and the emitter band. When the volume is filled with conductive fluid and a high voltage pulse is applied across the first and second wires, first and second shock waves can be initiated from the first and second spark gaps.

A microcatheter system is disclosed which may include a microcatheter, one or more microcatheter extensions, and/or a microcatheter hub. In an embodiment, the microcatheter has a plurality of zones where the outside diameter of each zone from the distal to the proximal end has an outside diameter that is the same as or greater than the previous zone while the inside diameter is constant throughout the microcatheter length. In a further embodiment, a unique joining mechanism is employed for coupling a microcatheter to a microcatheter extension or to a microcatheter hub.

According to a teaching of the present invention, having a flexible catheter attached to a housing. A needle having an exterior surface having a first roughness, the needle being within the flexible catheter and the housing. The needle has and interface surface angled with respect to a needle centerline. A portion of the interface surface having a second roughness which is more than the first roughness.

A stent including a tubular body formed of one or more interwoven wires, a first anchor member disposed adjacent the first open end of the stent, a second anchor member disposed adjacent the second open end of the stent, and at least one divider disposed between the first and second anchor members. The first and second anchor members and the divider extend radially outward from the tubular body to divide the tubular body into at least a first saddle region extending between the first anchor member and the divider and a second saddle region extending between the second anchor member and the divider.

A method for improving a flow condition through a catheter inserting a distal end of a sheath within the vasculature of a subject, placing the aspiration catheter through the sheath and advancing the aspiration catheter such that an open distal end of the aspiration lumen is distal to a distal end of the sheath and is in proximity to a thrombus within a blood vessel of a subject, coupling an extension conduit in fluid communication with a lumen of the sheath to a second fluid source, and activating a pump such that pressurized fluid from the first fluid source is applied to the supply lumen of the aspiration catheter, wherein when an active flowing condition is not present, fluid from the second fluid source is caused to flow through the lumen of the sheath.

A system of devices for treating an artery includes an arterial access sheath adapted to introduce an interventional catheter into an artery and an elongated dilator positionable within the internal lumen of the sheath body. The system also includes a catheter formed of an elongated catheter body sized and shaped to be introduced via a carotid artery access site into a common carotid artery through the internal lumen of the arterial access sheath. The catheter has an overall length and a distal most section length such that the distal most section can be positioned in an intracranial artery and at least a portion of the proximal most section is positioned in the common carotid artery during use.