Abstract: Devices described herein include an actuated clot retrieval catheter system. The system includes a catheter having a frame disposed proximate the distal end of the catheter. The frame expands to form a seal with the inner wall of a vessel. In some examples, the frame also captures a clot for removal from the vessel. The frame is manufactured from a shape memory material that can be heat set into a predetermined shape. An electrical connection to an electronic circuit causes a current to run through the frame. The electrical resistance of the shape memory material causes the frame to heat and transition from a martensite to an austenite phase. When the frame is heat set into an expanded configuration, the current causes the frame heat and expand. When the frame is heat set into a closed configuration, the current causes the frame heat and collapse upon a clot.

Abstract: A balloon guide catheter including a catheter shaft having a main lumen defined therein extending axially therethrough to receive a guidewire therein and an inflation lumen defined axially therein arranged semi-encircling the main lumen. The inflation lumen having an inlet port radially outward from the catheter shaft and an exhaust vent(s) disposed proximate the distal end of the catheter shaft. The exhaust vent(s) being disposed longitudinally through a distal terminating end of the inflation lumen or radially inward in fluid communication with the main lumen. A porous membrane is disposed at the exhaust vent(s) to permit only gas to pass therethrough. Secured about the outer surface proximate the distal end of the catheter shaft and coinciding with the inlet port is a balloon.

Abstract: A system has an outer catheter and an inner aspirating clot retrieval catheter having an expansile distal tip for flow restriction, improved aspiration efficiency, and a large mouth into which a clot or other obstructions can be retrieved. The clot retrieval catheter can have a support tube proximal of the tip. The expansile tip can be a strut framework, and a flexible, low-modulus cover is disposed around at least a portion of the tip strut framework and the proximal support tube. The distal end of the tip can be encapsulated by a low-friction elastomeric lip for atraumatic contact with the walls of a blood vessel. The tip has a collapsed delivery configuration and expands radially into a deployed configuration. The tip strut framework, support tube, and cover can all have characteristics which enhance the deliverability of the clot retrieval catheter to the target.

Abstract: A balloon guide catheter having a sleeved inflation lumen secured with a wire wrap for improved inflation lumen kink protection and a welded balloon construction provides a robust and flexible catheter with an exceptionally large inner lumen relative to its outer profile and enables rapid and reliable balloon inflation and deflation in a highly deliverable and kink resistant catheter. Balloon guide catheters having multiple sleeved inflation lumens and proximal luers for utilizing the multiple inflation lumens are also provided.

Abstract: A clot retrieval catheter can have an expansile distal tip for flow restriction/arrest and improved aspiration efficiency and a large, distal facing mouth into which clots or other obstructions can be retrieved. The tip can be formed from a distal ring of leaflets or hoops. One or more pull cables can be retracted to actuate and radially expand the expansile distal tip. The clot retrieval catheter can have a catheter shaft with flexibility-adding features proximal of the tip. The catheter shaft can be a multi-lumen configuration with a large catheter lumen for passing auxiliary devices and directing aspiration and one or more guide lumens which can route the pull cables to the leaflets or hoops of the expansile tip. A flexible, low-modulus membrane can be disposed around at least a portion of the expansile tip and catheter shaft.

Abstract: According to the present disclosure, there is provided a device which can have a funnel catheter having an expandable distal tip. The funnel catheter can originally be placed in a collapsed configuration for delivery through vasculature to a target thrombus location. Once positioned, the expandable tip can be radially expanded to create a funnel for aspirating or retrieving clots from a vessel. The funnel catheter can be at least partially enclosed by an outer sheath for purposes of delivery to the target site or to assist in expansion of the funnel catheter tip.

Abstract: A device for retrieving an obstruction in a blood vessel can have an outer sheath with a distal end, a proximal end, a proximal luer encompassing the proximal end, and an internal lumen extending proximal of the distal end and terminating within the proximal luer; and an inner funnel catheter within the outer sheath comprising an expanding distal tip, a proximal end, a distal end located at the distal tip, a proximal luer encompassing the proximal end, and an internal lumen extending proximal of the distal end and terminating at the luer. The outer sheath and inner funnel catheter can be capable of moving telescopically with respect to each other. In some examples, a slider mechanism or rotating knob located on one of the proximal luers can be used to actuate the relative motion.

Abstract: An introducer tool for use with a vascular entryway system and method. While a radially self-expanding distal section of an aspiration catheter is in a radially non-compressed state, an aspiration catheter is pre-assembled into a flared proximal section of the introducer tool. Together as a single unit, the introducer tool with the aspiration catheter pre-assembled therein is introduced into a hemostasis valve and a tapered guide sheath luer. The aspiration catheter is pushed through the introducer tool. While traversing the compressing section of the lumen of the shaft of the introducer tool and/or the tapered inner profile of a tapered guide sheath luer, the radially self-expanding distal section of the aspiration catheter is radially compressed to be receivable in a lumen of a guide sheath catheter. While the radially self-expanding distal section is radially compressed, the aspiration catheter is slid into the lumen of the guide sheath catheter.

Abstract: The systems and devices disclosed herein are for a clot retrieval catheter that can have a proximal elongate body with a lumen and a distal tip expandable to a diameter larger than the outer sheath through which it is delivered. The distal tip can have a flexible metallic support frame to provide radial scaffolding and the ability for further flexible expansion when ingesting a clot. The support frame can be designed so that the expanding movement is focused in a portion of the circumference through a plurality of support hoops that can collapse for deliverability, but can expand for aspiration. The designs can be sufficiently flexible to navigate tortuous anatomy but recover to maintain the inner diameter of the lumen when displaced in a vessel.

Abstract: A clot retrieval catheter can have an expansile distal tip for flow restriction/arrest and improved aspiration efficiency and a large, distal facing mouth into which clots or other obstructions can be retrieved. The tip can be formed from a distal ring of leaflets or hoops. One or more pull cables can be retracted to actuate and radially expand the expansile distal tip. The clot retrieval catheter can have a catheter shaft with flexibility-adding features proximal of the tip. The catheter shaft can be a multi-lumen configuration with a large catheter lumen for passing auxiliary devices and directing aspiration and one or more guide lumens which can route the pull cables to the leaflets or hoops of the expansile tip. A flexible, low-modulus membrane can be disposed around at least a portion of the expansile tip and catheter shaft.

Abstract: A clot retrieval catheter can have a tailored, highly flexible body section capable of navigating tortuous routes and an expandable tip for local flow restriction/arrest. The body can be a support tube of struts with a plurality of ribs and one or more axial spines. The support tube can also be a tubular section with a pattern of radial slots to increase flexibility while inhibiting kinking and binding. The ribs and spines can have strut widths which vary along the length of the support tube or can have curves with a non-planar cross section. The ribs can be formed such that they can move when subjected to the loads of a thrombectomy procedure. The structure of the support tube can also be a braided or woven pattern of strands. The support tube can also have a polymer jacket or membrane disposed around at least a portion of the structure.

Abstract: A clot retrieval catheter can have a tailored, highly flexible body section capable of navigating tortuous routes and an expandable tip for local flow restriction/arrest. The body can be a support tube of struts with a plurality of ribs and one or more axial spines. The support tube can also be a tubular section with a pattern of radial slots to increase flexibility while inhibiting kinking and binding. The ribs and spines can have strut widths which vary along the length of the support tube or can have curves with a non-planar cross section. The ribs can be formed such that they can move when subjected to the loads of a thrombectomy procedure. The structure of the support tube can also be a braided or woven pattern of strands. The support tube can also have a polymer jacket or membrane disposed around at least a portion of the structure.

Abstract: An aspiration clot retrieval catheter to have profiled guidewire for deliverability that transitions at a proximal joint to a distal tubular section with a lumen for directing aspiration and facilitating the smooth passage of other products in performing mechanical thrombectomy procedures. The joint can have a low-profile proximal strut formed integrally with the distal tubular section and configured to interlock with a distal portion of the guidewire so that there is a smooth transition of stiffness between the guidewire and the tubular portion of the catheter to improve trackability and decrease the likelihood of kinking. The distal tubular section of the proximal joint can also have features to tailor flexibility. The distal tubular section can be configured to push radially outward to form a seal with an outer catheter to optimize aspiration transmission to the distal mouth of the aspiration clot retrieval catheter.

Abstract: A balloon guide catheter system including a balloon guide catheter having a catheter shaft that includes: (i) a main lumen; (ii) an inflation lumen; and (iii) an exhaust lumen. The terminating distal end of the inflation lumen and the terminating distal end of the exhaust lumen being in localized fluid communication with one another underneath the balloon while in a non-inflated state. A balloon is disposed about a distal region of an outer surface of the catheter shaft. The exhaust lumen is configured to purge the residual air in a proximal direction and out from a proximal region of the balloon guide catheter.

Abstract: The designs and methods disclosed herein are for a clot retrieval catheter with a large bore shaft and a distal braid-supported tip that is expandable to a diameter larger than the outer sheath through which it is delivered. The shaft can have a plurality of supporting braids fixed distally to a radiopaque marker band. The tip can have another plurality of supporting braids fixed proximally to the marker band and a decreasing braid angle distally so that the tip can be heat set to an expanded funnel shape. The wires of the tip braids can follow one spiral direction distally and then invert proximally back on themselves to form the other spiral direction of the braid. This inversion of the wires results in atraumatic distal hoops at the distal termination of the braid. Designs can further have spines capable of resisting elongation of the catheter shaft during a procedure.

Abstract: The designs and methods disclosed herein are for a clot retrieval catheter with a large bore shaft and a distal braid-supported tip that is expandable. A distal expansile section of the braid-supported tip can have a delivery inner diameter approximately equal to the inner diameter of the shaft. The braid of the tip can have a decreasing braid angle distally so that the tip can expand to a larger expanded inner diameter when impinged radially by an ingested clot to manage the clot and prevent shearing of clot fragments. The wires of the tip braids can follow one spiral direction distally and then invert proximally back on themselves to form the other spiral direction of the braid. This inversion of the wires results in atraumatic distal hoops at the distal termination of the braid. Designs can further have spines capable of resisting elongation of the catheter shaft during a procedure.

Abstract: An aspiration clot retrieval catheter to have profiled guidewire for deliverability that transitions at a proximal joint to a distal tubular section with a lumen for directing aspiration and facilitating the smooth passage of other products in performing mechanical thrombectomy procedures. The joint can have a low-profile proximal strut formed integrally with the distal tubular section and configured to interlock with a distal portion of the guidewire so that there is a smooth transition of stiffness between the guidewire and the tubular portion of the catheter to improve trackability and decrease the likelihood of kinking. The distal tubular section of the proximal joint can also have features to tailor flexibility. The tubular section can be configured to push radially outward to form a seal with an outer catheter to optimize aspiration transmission to the distal mouth of the aspiration clot retrieval catheter.

Abstract: The designs and methods disclosed herein are for a clot retrieval catheter that can have a proximal elongate body with a large bore lumen and a distal tip expandable to a diameter larger than the outer sheath through which it is delivered. The distal tip can have a flexible metallic support frame to provide radial scaffolding and the ability for further flexible expansion when ingesting a clot. The support frame can be designed so that the expanding movement is focused in a portion of the circumference though a plurality of deformable cells that can collapse to be almost flat and parallel to the longitudinal axis for deliverability, but expand to a very steep angle for good resistance to collapse under aspiration. The designs can be sufficiently flexible to navigate tortuous anatomy but recover to maintain the inner diameter of the lumen when displaced in a vessel.

Abstract: A balloon guide catheter system including a balloon guide catheter having a catheter shaft that includes: (i) a main lumen; (ii) an inflation lumen; and (iii) an exhaust lumen. The terminating distal end of the inflation lumen and the terminating distal end of the exhaust lumen being in localized fluid communication with one another underneath the balloon while in a non-inflated state. A balloon is disposed about a distal region of an outer surface of the catheter shaft. The exhaust lumen is configured to purge the residual air in a proximal direction and out from a proximal region of the balloon guide catheter.

Abstract: A catheter system that is actuatable to a deployed state and includes a catheter body and a dilator positioned at least partially within the lumen of the catheter. A distal end of the dilator can be releasably connected to a distal tip of the catheter body. The dilator can be retractable to expand and invert the distal tip and form a funnel shape in the deployed state.