The invention relates to a valvulotome comprising a catheter tube (4) and an expandable basket (5) with cutting elements (7), wherein the catheter tube (4) being designed to accommodate within itself the expandable basket (5) in a non-expanded state, wherein the basket (5) is fixed to the distal end of a wire element (3) extending in the catheter tube (4) and the basket (5) distally comprises an atraumatically configured resilient tip (8).

Methods and apparatuses for removing material (e.g., clot) from within a body, including inverting thrombectomy apparatuses. These methods and apparatuses may include methods and apparatuses for reusing portion of the devices, method and apparatuses for loading and reloading the inverting thrombectomy apparatuses, and methods and apparatuses for improving and enhancing the ability of the inverting thrombectomy apparatuses to remove clot. In particular, described herein are expandable scraper devices that may be used in conjunction with the inverting thrombectomy apparatuses descried herein, or on their own.

An atherectomy system includes a drive assembly and an advancer assembly. The drive assembly, which may be reusable, includes a drive motor having an output shaft and a first coupler segment that is secured relative to the output shaft. A controller may be adapted to regulate operation of the drive motor. The advancer assembly, which may be single use, includes a flexible drive cable that is adapted to be releasably securable to the first coupler segment. The advancer assembly includes gearing that is secured within the advancer assembly and is operably coupled with the flexible drive cable. A burr catheter is coupled with and extends distally of the gearing. The advancer assembly is adapted to enable relative translation of the burr catheter in order to advance and withdraw an atherectomy burr rotatably secured to a distal end of the burr catheter.

An atherectomy system includes a drive assembly and an advancer assembly. The drive assembly, which may be reusable, includes a drive motor having an output shaft and a first coupler segment that is secured relative to the output shaft. A controller may be adapted to regulate operation of the drive motor. The advancer assembly, which may be single use, includes a flexible drive cable that is adapted to be releasably securable to the first coupler segment. The advancer assembly includes gearing that is secured within the advancer assembly and is operably coupled with the flexible drive cable. A burr catheter is coupled with and extends distally of the gearing. The advancer assembly is adapted to enable relative translation of the burr catheter in order to advance and withdraw an atherectomy burr rotatably secured to a distal end of the burr catheter.

An arthroscopic or other surgical cutter has features which facilitate fabrication by ceramic molding. The arthroscopic cutter includes a cutter body having a longitudinal axis and a window, an interior channel, and a plurality of cutting edges extending radially outwardly from an outer surface thereof. The features include non-helical, longitudinally aligned cutting edges, controlled thicknesses of the cutting edges, controlled heights of the cutting edges, controlled areas of the windows, controlled diameters of the internal channels, controlled rake angles of the cutting edges, and other parameters.

Methods for improving luminal gain when performing angioplasty at a zone of attention located at a blood vessel in a person's vascular system is provided. An intravascular device including an expandable portion secured to a distal portion of a catheter tube is provided. An incising element is provided on the expandable portion. The expandable portion is positioned at a first end of the zone of attention, placed in an expanded position, and moved along at least a portion of the zone of attention such that the incising element contacts at least a portion of atherosclerotic material located therein. An angioplasty device is positioned at the zone of attention and expanded.

Clot engagement element comprising bundle of unwoven fibers can be assembled to form an acute stroke treatment device. The device has the capability of forming a three dimensional filtration matrix comprising effective pores with a distribution of sizes. The bundle of fiber design allows the device to be effectively delivered into circuitous cerebral arteries to remove clot that causes stroke. The fiber bundle based filtration matrix offers the advantages of conforming to the changing inner perimeter of a blood vessel during a clot removal process and thus the capability to effectively retain and remove a clot in the vessel. The filtration matrix offers the additional advantage to trap any break-off of the clot during the removal process. A plurality of fiber bundles can be combined to form an effective clot engagement element. Supplemental engagement structure as well as mechanical treatment structure can be integrated into the stroke treatment device. The deployment of the fiber based elements can be facilitated by actuation tool. Aspiration can be employed during the clot removal process.

An atherectomy device (100) for removing occlusive material from the vasculature of a subject includes a sheath (116) and a drive shaft (216) disposed within the sheath. The drive shaft (216) couples to a cutting element (118). The drive shaft (216) is rotatable relative to the sheath (116) to rotate the cutting element (118). The drive shaft (216) and the sheath (116) define therebetween a material removal passageway (218) for receiving the occlusive material. The drive shaft (216) includes a coil (504) having an inner lumen (512). A jacket (516) is disposed outwardly of the coil (504), and the jacket (516) inhibits the occlusive material in the material removal passageway (218) from passing through the coil and entering the inner lumen (512).

An atherectomy device (100) for removing occlusive material from the vasculature of a subject includes a sheath (116) and a drive shaft (216) disposed within the sheath. The drive shaft (216) couples to a cutting element (118). The drive shaft (216) is rotatable relative to the sheath (116) to rotate the cutting element (118). The drive shaft (216) and the sheath (116) define therebetween a material removal passageway (218) for receiving the occlusive material. The drive shaft (216) includes a coil (504) having an inner lumen (512). A jacket (516) is disposed outwardly of the coil (504), and the jacket (516) inhibits the occlusive material in the material removal passageway (218) from passing through the coil and entering the inner lumen (512).

A catheter system includes a shaft main body including an elongated hollow outer tube and an inner tube accommodated in the inside of the elongated hollow outer tube. The hollow inside of the inner tube is suctioned from the proximal end side thereof. The outer tube has an opening formed in a circumferential surface thereof and an attaching portion provided therein on the distal end side with respect to the opening. The inner tube can move in an axial direction with respect to the outer tube, and at least a distal end side end portion thereof can move back and forth between a proximal end side position with respect to the opening and the attaching portion. The inner tube has a cutting unit provided in the hollow inside of the distal end side end portion thereof and is capable of attaching to the attaching portion