Aspiration catheter systems and methods of use

A method of removing an embolus in a cerebral vessel of a patient, the method comprising:

• assembling a system of devices, the assembled system of devices comprising:
• a catheter having a catheter lumen and a distal end, the catheter lumen having an inner diameter of at least about 0.070″;
• and a catheter advancement element extending through the catheter lumen, wherein a tapered distal end region of the catheter advancement element extends distal to the distal end of the catheter;
• advancing the assembled system of devices towards an occlusion site in the cerebral vessel of the patient, the occlusion site identifiable on angiogram, the occlusion site comprising an angiographic limit of contrast and an embolus downstream of the angiographic limit of contrast;
• advancing the catheter advancement element to a location past the angiographic limit of contrast so that a distal end of the catheter advancement element is in contact with a portion of the embolus without crossing the embolus;
• advancing the catheter over the catheter advancement element to position the distal end of the catheter at a treatment site located past the angiographic limit of contrast;
• removing the catheter advancement element from the catheter lumen after the catheter is at the treatment site and allowing the distal end region of the catheter to move in a distal direction through the cerebral vessel so the distal end of the catheter seats against a proximal face of the embolus;
• and
• applying aspiration to the catheter after removing the catheter advancement element.