Systems and methods for removing undesirable material within a circulatory system

A device for removing a pulmonary embolism comprising:

• a reinforced suction cannula including a stepped cannula distal end;
• an expandable funnel defined by a unitary metallic reinforcement member and an impermeable membrane, the unitary metallic reinforcement member comprising a metallic collar configured to be operatively coupled to the stepped cannula distal end and a metallic expansion part extending from the metallic collar, the metallic expansion part comprising a shape memory material pre-shaped in an expanded configuration to automatically expand the expandable funnel when released from constraint, wherein the metallic expansion part is configured to resist collapse under an applied vacuum but permit radial compression when withdrawn into a lumen of an outer sheath of the device;
• and
• a macerator configured to macerate the pulmonary embolism within either a lumen of the reinforced suction cannula, the expandable funnel, or the lumen of the reinforced suction cannula and the expandable funnel,
• wherein the reinforced suction cannula and the unitary metallic reinforcement member are both configured to resist collapse under the applied vacuum, and
• wherein the expandable funnel is configured to expand up to 24 French in size.

A device to remove a pulmonary embolism from a patient comprising:

• a catheter comprising a reinforcement member, a catheter distal end, and a funnel defined by a unitary expandable frame and a polymer wall coupled to an inner surface of the unitary expandable frame,
• the unitary expandable frame being a unitary metallic reinforcement frame comprising a proximal section and an atraumatic distal section, the proximal section of the unitary expandable frame is a metallic proximal section configured to be operative coupled to the aspiration catheter distal end, and the atraumatic distal section of the unitary expandable frame comprises a metallic expansion section, where the metallic expansion section comprises at least two moveable frame elements and a space extending between the at least two moveable frame elements, and the metallic expansion section extends from the proximal section and comprises a shape memory material pre-shaped in an expanded configuration to automatically expand the metallic expansion section when released from constraint, wherein the metallic expansion section is configured to resist collapse under an applied vacuum but permit radial compression when withdrawn into a lumen of an outer sheath of the device;
• and
• a macerator configured to either mechanically disrupt or fluidly disrupt the pulmonary embolism within either a lumen of the catheter or the funnel,
• wherein the funnel is configured to expand up to 24 French in size.