Abstract: A vessel cleaning system for removing an obstruction from within a patient's vessel, the system comprising a housing, connected to a flexible-tube, a motor-driven flexible agitator-shaft rotatably disposed in the flexible-tube, and a flexible distal-agitator that is connected to the agitator-shaft and shaped so that it is asymmetrically offset to only one side of the longitudinal axis of the agitator-shaft. The agitator-shaft is extended from an open distal end of the flexible-tube to break the obstruction into pieces while rotating with an effective diameter that is larger than its cross-sectional diameter and the distal-agitator is made of a spiral wire, whereas the direction of its winding, relative to the direction of rotation, is such that the distal-agitator unscrews itself from tight engagements with its surroundings and automatically retracts into the flexible-tube.

Abstract: A flexible guidewire system with an exposed midsection, for crossing an obstruction located in a patient's vessel, comprising a flexible pilot wire and a flexible casing having a distal and proximal portions slidable and rotatable over the pilot wire, at least a distal portion of the casing being a helical wire gated at its distal end, and a coupling for connecting the casing to a drive means.

Abstract: A rotary flexible agitator system for removing an obstruction from within a patient's vessel that a motor-driven rotary flexible agitator-shaft disposed in the tubular housing, the agitator-shaft having an offset distal-agitator attached to its distal end that extends out of the open distal end, the effective diameter of the offset distal-agitator being substantially larger than its cross-sectional diameter, wherein rotating the offset distal-agitator breaks the obstruction in the vessel to pieces and the relative motion between the rotary flexible agitator-shaft and the flexible tube reduces the longitudinal friction that may resist the movement of the pieces through the flexible tube; and a catheter in which the flexible tube is disposed and guided into the vessel having a barrier at its distal end section for temporarily blocking flow through the vessel and reducing the likelihood of distal embolization.

Abstract: A flexible catheter having a guidewire lumen extending throughout its length and a distal section that is insertable, over the guidewire, into a patient's vasculature for removing obstructive material, comprising an inner tube nested in an outer tube with an unobstructed void defined between them that is connectable to negative pressure, the inner tube is preferably rotatable by a motor for reducing the frictional resistance to the sliding of the inner tube over the guidewire as well as for reducing the frictional resistance to the movement of obstructive material through the void, the distal section of the catheter consists essentially of the distal portions of the tubes, wherein the inner tube has no connection to any element for cutting or fragmenting the obstructive material thereby reducing the likelihood of dislodging the material prior to aspirating it into the void.

Abstract: An apparatus for extracting an obstruction located in a patient's vessel by fragmenting the obstruction and conveying the fragments through the apparatus out of the patient's body, having a flexible-tube with an open distal end, connected to a negative pressures, a motor-rotated, flexible, spiral conveyor-shaft disposed in the flexible tube that conveys the obstruction fragments, cooperatively with the negative pressure, through the flexible tube and an offset agitator that is connected to and is rotated by the flexible conveyor-shaft to fragment the obstruction. The offset-agitator can be moved in and out of the flexible tube, through the open distal end, to adjust its effective diameter.

Abstract: A hydraulically expandable medical device for insertion into an obstruction in a blood vessel, comprising a hydraulically expandable tube having a clover leaf shape in its relaxed, deflated, position; and longitudinal ridges attached to the expandable tube and harbored in the clover leaf shape, the expandable tube adapted to be inflated and expanded with fluid, thereby pushing the elongated ridges outwardly into the obstruction material.

Abstract: A rotary flexible agitator system for removing an obstruction from within a patient's vessel comprising a tubular-housing having a flexible-tube with an open distal end, a motor-driven flexible agitator-shaft disposed in the tubular-housing that is rotateable and moveable relative to the flexible-tube. The flexible agitator-shaft has an offset distal-agitator whose effective diameter can be adjusted by pulling or pushing it in or out of the flexible-tube in order to navigate and thread it through obstructions, curved vessels and bifurcations.

Abstract: An atherectomy system for removing obstructive material from within a patient's vessel comprising a flexible spiral wire having a distal stepped-down section that is connected through a short transition section with a nominal diameter section, a flexible catheter that is slideable and rotateable over the spiral wire and rotating means coupled to the catheter.

Abstract: A rotary flexible-agitator system for removing an obstruction from within a patient's vessel that is comprised of a tubular-housing with suction connected to its proximal end, and a motor-driven, rotary, flexible agitator-shaft with an offset distal-agitator disposed in the housing and the offset distal-agitator extending out of the open distal end of the housing. The offset distal-agitator is adapted to break the obstruction in the vessel to pieces while the suction draws the pieces into the housing, where the relative motion between the flexible-agitator and the housing reduces the longitudinal frictional forces between the pieces, the rotary flexible agitator-shaft and the tubular-housing, and where the relative motion between the rotary flexible agitator-shaft and the tubular-housing further breaks the pieces as they pass through the tubular-housing.

Abstract: An internal coronary bypass, for circumventing an obstruction in a coronary artery, having a conduit through the heart's muscle that preferably connects a left-chamber of the heart to the coronary artery, at a point which is downstream of the obstruction, and a one way valve disposed in said conduit allowing blood to flow only in a direction from the left chamber to the artery.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for removing obstruction material from a stent which is located in a vessel in a body. The process generally involves threading a flexible casing into the material, and optionally, passing a tubular blade over the material to separate the material from the stent, and then withdrawing the flexible casing and the material out of the stent.

Abstract: A system for removing an obstruction, in sections, from within a vessel, having a flexible guide wire assembly which is insertable into the vessel and a flexible rotary catheter which is slidable over it, the flexible rotary catheter is equipped with a tubular blade at its distal end for cutting and separating the obstruction material from an inner wall of the vessel to be ingested by the system.

Abstract: An atherectomy system for opening an obstructed vessel comprising a helically shaped flexible guide-wire assembly insertable into the vessel having a cross section which narrows with increasing radial distance from the center of the helical portion, and, a flexible catheter slidable over the flexible guide-wire having a blade at its distal end.

Abstract: An atherectomy system for coring, ingesting and removing plaque from within a patient's vessel having a flexible guide wire defining a void for holding plaque during the atherectomy process and for accurately guiding a flexible catheter in the vessel. Coupling means at the proximal end of the flexible catheter for coupling it to drive means. The insertion of the guidewire may be assisted by suspending a body part in a decompression chamber to dilate the vessel.

Abstract: A lesion marking system comprising a guiding needle rotatably and slidably supporting a spiral wire which is cork screwed, under an imaging system guidance, into a lesion. The guiding needle is then withdrawn, leaving the spiral wire as a visible lesion marker.

Abstract: A flexible thrombectomy system insertable into a patient's blood vessel for sucking and removing a thrombus, comprising in combination, a flexible piston, slidably disposed in a flexible catheter and adapted to be retracted into it, thereby sucking the thrombus into the system.

Abstract: An atherectomy system for coring, ingesting and removing an obstruction material from within a patient's vessel having a flexible guide wire defining a void for holding obstruction material during the atherectomy process and for accurately guiding a flexible catheter in the vessel. Coupling means at the proximal end of the flexible catheter for coupling it to drive means.

Abstract: An atherectomy system for removing an obstruction from within a patient's vessel, comprising a flexible guide-wire insertable into the vessel, a flexible rotary catheter for coring and ingesting obstruction material, insertable into the vessel over the flexible guide-wire, the flexible rotary catheter having coring means at its distal end and coupling means for connecting it to a power source, at its proximal end, a sleeve in which the flexible rotary catheter is slidably disposed, the sleeve having a window near its open distal end.

Abstract: An atherectomy system insertable into a human blood vessel over a flexible guide-wire for remotely cutting and removing an obstruction therein, having a diametrical stabilized torque transmitting flexible rotary-catheter equipped with a rotary coring means at its distal end and a motor connected to its proximal end.

Abstract: An atherectomy system for cutting an obstruction in a patient's vessel, comprising a flexible guide-wire insertable into the vessel, a flexible rotary-catheter being rotatably disposed and insertable into the vessel, over the flexible guide-wire, a cutting means for cutting the obstruction, at a distal end of the flexible rotaty-catheter, coupling means at the proximal end of the flexible rotary-catheter for engaging a drive means and at least one torque limiting clutch interposed between the drive means and the cutting means, limiting the torque transmitted distally.