Tissue excision, cutting, and removal systems and methods

A catheter having a proximal end, a distal end, and defining a longitudinal axis, the catheter comprising:

• a first elongate member having a proximal end, a distal end and defining a lumen at least partially along a length of the first elongate member, the first elongate member having a collapsible basket mounted thereon having an open distally facing end;
• a tether operably coupled to and at least partially surrounding a perimeter of the open distally facing end of the collapsible basket, the tether further extending proximally parallel to the longitudinal axis toward the proximal end of the catheter, wherein the open distally facing end of the collapsible basket is configured to be collapsed by applying tension to the tether along a proximal direction;
• a second elongate member slidably disposed within the lumen of the first elongate member, the second elongate member having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the distal end of the second elongate member can be advanced distally beyond the distal end of the first elongate member;
• a cutting snare loop operably coupled to the distal end of the second elongate member, wherein:
• the cutting snare loop is configured to be laterally collapsed and withdrawn proximally into a distal end of the lumen of the first elongate member by withdrawing the second elongate member along the proximal direction into the lumen of the first elongate member;
• the cutting snare loop is configured to be deployed distally out of the distal end of the lumen of the first elongate member by advancing the second elongate member distally;
• the cutting snare loop is configured to self-orient into a first plane that is oriented transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the catheter when deployed distally outwardly from the lumen of the first elongate member, and further wherein a user can use the basket to at least partially surround an object attached to a tissue mass, collapse the basket around the object by applying tension to the actuator, and then sever the tissue mass by cutting through the tissue mass with the deployable cutting snare loop.