Aspiration catheter with distally directed fluid jet

A thrombectomy catheter, comprising:

• a catheter body extending from a proximal end region to a distal end region and including a catheter lumen extending between the proximal end region and the distal end region;
• a high-pressure fluid supply tube extending through the catheter lumen from the catheter body proximal end region toward the catheter body distal end region, the high-pressure fluid supply tube configured for communication with a fluid source near the catheter body proximal end region;
• at least one proximally projecting jet orifice for expelling at least one proximally oriented fluid jet from said high-pressure fluid supply tube within the catheter lumen in a generally proximal direction;
• at least one distally projecting jet orifice extending through a circumferential sidewall of the high-pressure fluid supply tube, the at least one distally projecting jet orifice for expelling at least one distally oriented fluid jet from said high-pressure fluid supply tube within the catheter lumen in a generally distal direction;
• and
• an entrainment inflow orifice positioned along the catheter body distal end region distal of a distal end of the high-pressure fluid supply tube;
• wherein the at least one distally oriented fluid jet is configured to impinge an inner surface of the catheter body.

A thrombectomy catheter, comprising:

• a catheter body extending from a proximal end region to a distal end region and including a catheter lumen extending between the proximal end region and the distal end region;
• a high-pressure fluid supply tube extending through the catheter lumen from the catheter body proximal end region toward the catheter body distal end region, the high-pressure fluid supply tube configured for communication with a fluid source near the catheter body proximal end region;
• at least one proximally projecting jet orifice extending through a sidewall of the high-pressure fluid supply tube and in communication with a lumen of the high-pressure fluid supply tube, the at least one proximally projecting jet orifice for expelling at least one proximally oriented fluid jet from the lumen of the high-pressure fluid supply tube within the catheter lumen in a generally proximal direction;
• at least one distally projecting jet orifice extending through the sidewall of the high-pressure fluid supply tube proximate a distal end of the high-pressure fluid supply tube, the at least one distally projecting jet orifice having a sidewall extending through the sidewall of the high-pressure fluid supply tube from the lumen of the high-pressure fluid supply tube to an exterior of the high-pressure fluid supply tube, the at least one distally projecting jet orifice for expelling at least one distally oriented fluid jet from the lumen of the high-pressure fluid supply tube within the catheter lumen in a generally distal direction;
• and
• an entrainment inflow orifice positioned along the catheter body distal end region;
• wherein the sidewall of the at least one distally projecting jet orifice extends at an oblique angle to a longitudinal axis of the high-pressure fluid supply tube.