Abstract: Devices and methods may allow for the removal of material from a remote location in the vasculature. In an example of such a remote location, the device may be used in the vasculature of a lower extremity in combination with an external cuff. The external cuff may create a dam preventing material from flowing throughout the body. With the external cuff in place, the device of the present disclosure may be utilized to suction the material from the vasculature while rotating the catheter to assist in the removal of the material.

Abstract: Devices and methods may allow for the removal of material from a remote location in the vasculature. In an example of such a remote location, the device may be used in the vasculature of a lower extremity in combination with an external cuff. The external cuff may create a dam preventing material from flowing throughout the body. With the external cuff in place, the device of the present disclosure may be utilized to suction the material from the vasculature while rotating the catheter to assist in the removal of the material.

Abstract: Devices and methods may allow for the removal of material from a remote location in the vasculature. In an example of such a remote location, the device may be used in the vasculature of a lower extremity in combination with an external cuff. The external cuff may create a dam preventing material from flowing throughout the body. With the external cuff in place, the device of the present disclosure may be utilized to suction the material from the vasculature while rotating the catheter to assist in the removal of the material.

Abstract: Devices and methods may allow for the removal of material from a remote location in the vasculature. In an example of such a remote location, the device may be used in the vasculature of a lower extremity in combination with an external cuff. The external cuff may create a dam preventing material from flowing throughout the body. With the external cuff in place, the device of the present disclosure may be utilized to suction the material from the vasculature while rotating the catheter to assist in the removal of the material.

Abstract: Devices and methods may allow for the removal of material from a remote location in the vasculature. In an example of such a remote location, the device may be used in the vasculature of a lower extremity in combination with an external cuff. The external cuff may create a dam preventing material from flowing throughout the body. With the external cuff in place, the device of the present disclosure may be utilized to suction the material from the vasculature while rotating the catheter to assist in the removal of the material.

Abstract: A catheter for insertion into vasculature of a patient to a target area in the vasculature includes a hollow inner shaft, a non-occluding self-expandable scaffold coupled to the distal end of the inner shaft and disposed at the distal end of the inner shaft, and a hollow outer shaft. The outer shaft is slidable over the inner shaft and scaffold such that the scaffold is in a non-expanded state when the outer shaft is around the scaffold. The outer shaft has a state where the distal end of the outer shaft remains near the target area without the inner shaft and the scaffold being within the outer shaft. The inner shaft and the scaffold are removable through the proximal end of the outer shaft while the distal end of the outer shaft remains near the target area.

Abstract: The invention is directed to methods and apparatus for centering a microcatheter within a vasculature. In one aspect, the methods and apparatus can be used to support centering and to facilitate a guidewire to cross through a chronic total occlusion. In one embodiment, the catheter apparatus includes: a microcatheter having a lumen, a distal opening and a distal end; one or more guidewires for passing through the lumen of the microcatheter; an inner shaft having a lumen, a distal opening and a distal end for passing the inner shaft over the microcatheter; an outer shaft having a lumen, a distal opening and a distal end for passing the outer shaft over the inner shaft; and a self-expandable scaffold structure disposed towards the distal end of the inner shaft. The self-expandable scaffold structure is preferably non-occluding thereby allowing blood to flow through the scaffold. Preferably, the inner shaft and microcatheter are capable of being independently operable.

Abstract: A catheter for insertion into vasculature of a patient to a target area in the vasculature includes a hollow inner shaft, a non-occluding self-expandable scaffold coupled to the distal end of the inner shaft and disposed at the distal end of the inner shaft, and a hollow outer shaft. The outer shaft is slidable over the inner shaft and scaffold such that the scaffold is in a non-expanded state when the outer shaft is around the scaffold. The outer shaft has a state where the distal end of the outer shaft remains near the target area without the inner shaft and the scaffold being within the outer shaft. The inner shaft and the scaffold are removable through the proximal end of the outer shaft while the distal end of the outer shaft remains near the target area.

Abstract: The invention provides for methods and catheter apparatus for passing one or more guidewires (via the use of one or more telescoping guidewire lumens) through a chronic total occlusion of a vasculature. The catheter apparatus may include: a catheter shaft having a distal end; one or more telescoping guidewire lumen catheters passing longitudinally through the shaft, wherein the one or more guidewire lumen catheters are capable of telescoping beyond the distal end of the catheter shaft; an expansible distal portion of the shaft; and a retractable sheath covering at least a portion of the expansible distal portion of the shaft, wherein retracting the retractable sheath from the expansible distal portion of the shaft directly activates the expansible distal portion of the shaft causing expansion of the expansible distal portion of the shaft.

Abstract: The invention provides for methods and catheter apparatus for passing one or more guidewires (via the use of one or more telescoping guidewire lumens) through a chronic total occlusion of a vasculature. The catheter apparatus may include: a catheter shaft having a distal end; one or more telescoping guidewire lumen catheters passing longitudinally through the shaft, wherein the one or more guidewire lumen catheters are capable of telescoping beyond the distal end of the catheter shaft; an expansible distal portion of the shaft; and a retractable sheath covering at least a portion of the expansible distal portion of the shaft, wherein retracting the retractable sheath from the expansible distal portion of the shaft directly activates the expansible distal portion of the shaft causing expansion of the expansible distal portion of the shaft.

Abstract: A catheter for insertion into vasculature of a patient to a target area in the vasculature includes a hollow inner shaft, a non-occluding self-expandable scaffold coupled to the distal end of the inner shaft and disposed at the distal end of the inner shaft, and a hollow outer shaft. The outer shaft is slidable over the inner shaft and scaffold such that the scaffold is in a non-expanded state when the outer shaft is around the scaffold. The outer shaft has a state where the distal end of the outer shaft remains near the target area without the inner shaft and the scaffold being within the outer shaft. The inner shaft and the scaffold are removable through the proximal end of the outer shaft while the distal end of the outer shaft remains near the target area.

Abstract: A method of removing material from a blood flow lumen includes providing a device having a cutting element and an opening, the cutting element being movable relative to the opening. The method then includes advancing the device through a patient's vascular system to the blood flow lumen. Finally, the method involves moving the cutting element and the opening relative to the blood flow lumen so that a continuous piece of material is severed by the cutting element and directed into the opening as the cutting element and opening move through the blood flow lumen, the continuous piece of severed material being directed into the device for removal from the patient. The method may include providing a device having a rotatable cutter that, in some embodiments, is not parallel to the longitudinal axis of the device, is movable, has retracted and deployed positions, or any combination thereof.

Abstract: The invention is directed to methods and apparatus for centering a microcatheter within a vasculature. In one aspect, the methods and apparatus can be used to support centering and to facilitate a guidewire to cross through a chronic total occlusion. In one embodiment, the catheter apparatus includes: a microcatheter having a lumen, a distal opening and a distal end; one or more guidewires for passing through the lumen of the microcatheter; an inner shaft having a lumen, a distal opening and a distal end for passing the inner shaft over the microcatheter; an outer shaft having a lumen, a distal opening and a distal end for passing the outer shaft over the inner shaft; and a self-expandable scaffold structure disposed towards the distal end of the inner shaft. The self-expandable scaffold structure is preferably non-occluding thereby allowing blood to flow through the scaffold. Preferably, the inner shaft and microcatheter are capable of being independently operable.

Abstract: The invention is directed to methods and apparatus for centering a microcatheter within a vasculature. In one aspect, the methods and apparatus can be used to support centering and to facilitate a guidewire to cross through a chronic total occlusion. In one embodiment, the catheter apparatus includes: a microcatheter having a lumen, a distal opening and a distal end; one or more guidewires for passing through the lumen of the microcatheter; an inner shaft having a lumen, a distal opening and a distal end for passing the inner shaft over the microcatheter; an outer shaft having a lumen, a distal opening and a distal end for passing the outer shaft over the inner shaft; and a self-expandable scaffold structure disposed towards the distal end of the inner shaft. The self-expandable scaffold structure is preferably non-occluding thereby allowing blood to flow through the scaffold. Preferably, the inner shaft and microcatheter are capable of being independently operable.

Abstract: The invention is directed to methods and apparatus for centering a microcatheter within a vasculature. In one aspect, the methods and apparatus can be used to support centering and to facilitate a guidewire to cross through a chronic total occlusion. In one embodiment, the catheter apparatus includes: a microcatheter having a lumen, a distal opening and a distal end; one or more guidewires for passing through the lumen of the microcatheter; an inner shaft having a lumen, a distal opening and a distal end for passing the inner shaft over the microcatheter; an outer shaft having a lumen, a distal opening and a distal end for passing the outer shaft over the inner shaft; and a self-expandable scaffold structure disposed towards the distal end of the inner shaft. The self-expandable scaffold structure is preferably non-occluding thereby allowing blood to flow through the scaffold. Preferably, the inner shaft and microcatheter are capable of being independently operable.

Abstract: A catheter for insertion into vasculature of a patient to a target area in the vasculature includes a hollow inner shaft, a non-occluding self-expandable scaffold coupled to the distal end of the inner shaft and disposed at the distal end of the inner shaft, and a hollow outer shaft. The outer shaft is slidable over the inner shaft and scaffold such that the scaffold is in a non-expanded state when the outer shaft is around the scaffold. The outer shaft has a state where the distal end of the outer shaft remains near the target area without the inner shaft and the scaffold being within the outer shaft. The inner shaft and the scaffold are removable through the proximal end of the outer shaft while the distal end of the outer shaft remains near the target area.

Abstract: The invention provides for methods and catheter apparatus for passing one or more guidewires (via the use of one or more telescoping guidewire lumens) through a chronic total occlusion of a vasculature. The catheter apparatus may include: a catheter shaft having a distal end; one or more telescoping guidewire lumen catheters passing longitudinally through the shaft, wherein the one or more guidewire lumen catheters are capable of telescoping beyond the distal end of the catheter shaft; an expansible distal portion of the shaft; and a retractable sheath covering at least a portion of the expansible distal portion of the shaft, wherein retracting the retractable sheath from the expansible distal portion of the shaft directly activates the expansible distal portion of the shaft causing expansion of the expansible distal portion of the shaft.

Abstract: The invention provides for methods and catheter apparatus for passing one or more guidewires (via the use of one or more telescoping guidewire lumens) through a chronic total occlusion of a vasculature. The catheter apparatus may include: a catheter shaft having a distal end; one or more telescoping guidewire lumen catheters passing longitudinally through the shaft, wherein the one or more guidewire lumen catheters are capable of telescoping beyond the distal end of the catheter shaft; an expansible distal portion of the shaft; and a retractable sheath covering at least a portion of the expansible distal portion of the shaft, wherein retracting the retractable sheath from the expansible distal portion of the shaft directly activates the expansible distal portion of the shaft causing expansion of the expansible distal portion of the shaft.

Abstract: A catheter for insertion into vasculature of a patient to a target area in the vasculature includes a hollow inner shaft, a non-occluding self-expandable scaffold coupled to the distal end of the inner shaft and disposed at the distal end of the inner shaft, and a hollow outer shaft. The outer shaft is slidable over the inner shaft and scaffold such that the scaffold is in a non-expanded state when the outer shaft is around the scaffold. The outer shaft has a state where the distal end of the outer shaft remains near the target area without the inner shaft and the scaffold being within the outer shaft. The inner shaft and the scaffold are removable through the proximal end of the outer shaft while the distal end of the outer shaft remains near the target area.

Abstract: A method of removing material from a blood flow lumen includes providing a device having a cutting element and an opening, the cutting element being movable relative to the opening. The method then includes advancing the device through a patient's vascular system to the blood flow lumen. Finally, the method involves moving the cutting element and the opening relative to the blood flow lumen so that a continuous piece of material is severed by the cutting element and directed into the opening as the cutting element and opening move through the blood flow lumen, the continuous piece of severed material being directed into the device for removal from the patient. The method may include providing a device having a rotatable cutter that, in some embodiments, is not parallel to the longitudinal axis of the device, is movable, has retracted and deployed positions, or any combination thereof.