# US 11,026,704 B2 · Vascular access assembly declotting systems and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,026,704 B2 - Document ID: US11026704B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/910,273 - Filed: 2018-03-02 - Published: 2018-09-06 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-03-06 - Assignees: Merit Medical Systems, Inc. - Applicants: Merit Medical Systems, Inc. - Inventors: John William Hall; Craig Nordhausen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11026704B2 ## CPC - A61M 1/3655: {Arterio-venous shunts or fistulae} - A61B 17/22: Implements for squeezing-off ulcers or the like on inner organs of the body; Implements for scraping-out cavities of body organs, e.g. bones; for invasive removal or destruction of calculus using mechanical vibrations; for removing obstructions in blood vessels, not otherwise provided for - A61B 17/32: Surgical cutting instruments ({A61B18/042 takes precedence; suture cutters A61B17/0467;} implements for ligaturing and cutting {A61B17/122, A61B17/12; instruments for rupturing the amniotic membrane A61B17/4208; specially adapted knives for eye surgery A61F9/0133}) - A61B 17/320758: {with a rotating cutting instrument, e.g. motor driven (A61B17/320725, A61B17/32075 and A61B17/320783 take precedence; for removing intra-ocular material A61F9/00763; endoscopic rotatable cutting instruments A61B17/32002)} - A61M 3/0279: {Cannula; Nozzles; Tips; their connection means} - A61M 25/0068: {Static characteristics of the catheter tip, e.g. shape, atraumatic tip, curved tip or tip structure} - A61M 39/0247: {Transcutaneous or percutaneous access sites to the inside of the body} - A61M 39/10: Tube connectors or tube couplings - A61B 2017/22062: {to be filled with liquid} - A61B 2017/22079: {with suction of debris} - A61B 2017/320004: {abrasive} - A61B 2017/320775: {Morcellators, impeller or propeller like means} - A61B 2217/005: with suction drainage system - A61M 25/0041: {pre-formed, e.g. specially adapted to fit with the anatomy of body channels (urethral catheters A61F2/04)} - A61M 25/0074: {Dynamic characteristics of the catheter tip, e.g. openable, closable, expandable or deformable} - A61M 25/0108: {using radio-opaque or ultrasound markers} - A61M 2025/0019: {Cleaning catheters or the like, e.g. for reuse of the device, for avoiding replacement} - A61M 2039/0258: {for vascular access, e.g. blood stream access} - A61M 2039/0273: {for introducing catheters into the body} - A61M 2039/1077: {Adapters, e.g. couplings adapting a connector to one or several other connectors} - A61M 2205/0266: Shape memory materials - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract Methods of declotting vascular access technologies, such as vascular access assemblies that facilitate hemodialysis, are provided. The methods can include disposing a catheter within a patient to access a vascular access assembly within the heart of the patient. The catheter can be coupled to the vascular access assembly such that a clot can be evacuated from within the vascular access assembly via the catheter. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of declotting a vascular access assembly within a patient, the method comprising: inserting a central end portion of a catheter into the patient such that the central end portion of the catheter is disposed within the vasculature of the patient; coupling the central end portion of the catheter to a central end portion of a vascular access assembly disposed within the vasculature of the patient, wherein the vascular access assembly is completely disposed within the patient, and wherein the coupling occurs within the vasculature of the patient; and evacuating a clot from within a portion of the vascular access assembly via the catheter. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: applying a suction force on the catheter such that a portion of the suction force is applied on the vascular access assembly to evacuate the clot. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: flushing a portion of the vascular access assembly such that the clot is displaced from within the vascular access assembly to a lumen of the catheter. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: displacing the clot from within the vascular access assembly to a lumen of the catheter; and macerating a portion of the clot as the clot is displaced from within the vascular access assembly to the lumen of the catheter. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the central end portion of the catheter is disposed within the right atrium via a jugular vein. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the central end portion of the catheter is disposed within the right atrium via a femoral vein. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein an internal diameter of a portion of the central end portion of the catheter is greater than an external diameter of a portion of the central end portion of the vascular access assembly such that the portion of the central end portion of the catheter is displaceable around the portion of the central end portion of the vascular access assembly. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the coupling of the central end portion of the catheter to the central end portion of the vascular access assembly forms a substantially fluid-tight seal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the central end portion of the catheter is substantially J shaped. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the central end portion of the catheter is substantially funnel shaped. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the central end portion of the catheter comprises a purse string mechanism such that the central end portion of the catheter is transitionable between an open state and a closed state and wherein the central end portion of the catheter is configured to form a seal between an inside surface of the central end portion of the catheter and an outside surface of the central end portion of the vascular access assembly when in the closed state. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the vascular access assembly comprises: a first tubular conduit having a central end portion disposed within a heart of the patient; and a second tubular conduit having a peripheral end coupled to a vessel of the patient, wherein a peripheral end of the first tubular conduit is releasably coupled to a central end portion of the second tubular conduit such that a flow path extends from the vessel to the heart via the first and second tubular conduits. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the vascular access assembly further comprises an adaptor for releasably coupling the first tubular conduit to the second tubular conduit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: decoupling the first tubular conduit and the second tubular conduit at the adaptor; coupling a flushing mechanism to the peripheral end of the first tubular conduit; and flushing the first tubular conduit such that the clot is displaced from within the first tubular conduit to a lumen of the catheter. ### Claim 15 A method of removing a clot from a vascular access assembly within a patient, the method comprising: accessing an internal jugular vein of the patient; inserting a central end portion of a catheter into the internal jugular vein; displacing the catheter such that the central end portion of the catheter is disposed within a vena cava or right atrium of a heart of the patient; coupling the central end portion of the catheter to a central end portion of a vascular access assembly disposed within the vena cava or right atrium, wherein the vascular access assembly is a fully subcutaneous implant, and wherein the coupling occurs within the vena cava or right atrium; and evacuating a clot from within a portion of the vascular access assembly via the catheter. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein displacing the catheter such that the central end portion of the catheter is disposed within the vena cava or right atrium comprises displacing the central end portion of the catheter through the internal jugular vein, a brachiocephalic vein, and a superior vena cava of the patient. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the central end portion of the catheter is substantially J shaped such that the central end portion of the catheter is disposable around the central end portion of the vascular access assembly. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: sucking the clot from within the vascular access assembly and through the catheter to evacuate the clot from within the vascular access assembly. ### Claim 19 A method of removing a clot from a vascular access assembly within a patient, the method comprising: accessing a femoral vein of the patient; inserting a central end portion of a catheter into the femoral vein; displacing the catheter such that the central end portion of the catheter is disposed within a vena cava or right atrium of a heart of the patient; coupling the central end portion of the catheter to a central end portion of a vascular access assembly disposed within the vena cava or right atrium, wherein the vascular access assembly is a fully subcutaneous implant, and wherein the coupling occurs within the vena cava or right atrium; and evacuating a clot from within a portion of the vascular access assembly via the catheter. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein displacing the catheter such that the central end portion of the catheter is disposed within the vena cava or right atrium comprises displacing the central end portion of the catheter through the femoral vein, an external iliac vein, a common iliac vein, and an inferior vena cava of the patient.