# US 12,758,239 B2 · Catheter tip for aspiration system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,758,239 B2 - Document ID: US12758239B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/976,691 - Filed: 2024-12-11 - Published: 2025-06-19 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2023-12-18 - Assignees: Walk Vascular, LLC - Applicants: Walk Vascular, LLC - Inventors: Ted Su; Jared Ryan G. Lumauig; Connie Vien Cheng; Seung Hae Clare Chung; Grant A. Adams; Rafael A. Castellanos Alvarez; Randolf von Oepen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12758239B2 ## CPC - 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 17/00234: {for minimally invasive surgery (A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence)} - A61B 2017/00238: {Type of minimally invasive operation (A61B2017/00805 takes precedence)} - A61B 2017/00305: {Constructional details of the flexible means} - A61B 2017/00557: {inflatable (A61B2017/22051 takes precedence)} - A61B 2017/00862: {elastic or resilient} - A61B 2017/00867: {shape memory effect} - A61B 2017/00946: {malleable} - A61B 2017/22079: {with suction of debris} - A61B 2217/005: with suction drainage system - A61B 2217/007: with irrigation system - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract Disclosed are embodiments of an aspiration catheter comprising a tissue encroachment prevent assembly for preventing vessel tissue from being drawn into the aspiration lumen and/or into close proximity to an injection of pressurized fluid from a supply lumen during aspiration of a thrombus. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An aspiration catheter comprising: an elongate shaft configured for placement within a blood vessel; a supply lumen and an aspiration lumen each extending along the shaft, the supply lumen having a proximal end and a distal end, and the aspiration lumen having a proximal end and a distal opening; an orifice at or near the distal end of the supply lumen, the orifice being configured to allow injection of pressurized fluid into the aspiration lumen at or near the distal end of the aspiration lumen when the pressurized fluid is delivered through the supply lumen; and a tissue encroachment prevention assembly for preventing the blood vessel from being drawn into said aspiration lumen and coming into close proximity to the orifice of the supply lumen during aspiration, the tissue encroachment prevention assembly comprising a wide-mouth tip having a proximal end portion coupled to the elongate shaft, a distal end portion, a lumen extending through the wide-mouth tip, and a sidewall extending from the proximal end portion toward the distal end portion, the sidewall including a flared portion that expands radially outwardly in a distal direction, wherein the supply lumen is defined at least in part by a supply tube extending partially through the lumen of the wide-mouth tip, the supply tube having a distal region that bends radially outwardly so as to follow the flared portion of the sidewall so as to position the orifice to direct the pressurized fluid into the lumen of the wide-mouth tip. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The aspiration catheter of claim 1, wherein the distal end portion of the wide-mouth tip has a distal opening, the distal opening of the wide mouth tip having an inner diameter that is larger than the inner diameter of the aspiration lumen. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The aspiration catheter of claim 2, wherein the distal opening of the wide mouth tip has an inner diameter of at least 0.20 inches. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The aspiration catheter of claim 2, wherein the wide mouth tip is essentially cylindrical or conical in shape. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The aspiration catheter of claim 1, wherein the orifice is placed at a distance of at least 0.035 inches from the distal opening of the wide mouth tip. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The aspiration catheter of claim 1, wherein the wide-mouth tip comprises an expandable member, the expandable member having a distal opening, the distal opening or end of the expandable member having an inner diameter that is larger than the inner diameter of the aspiration lumen when expanded. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The aspiration catheter of claim 6, wherein the expandable member comprises an expandable cage, skirt, or basket structure upon inflation of the expandable member. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The aspiration catheter of claim 6, further comprising an outer sheath configured to house the expandable member until its deployment or inflation, wherein the expandable member is configured to inflate upon retraction of the outer sheath. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The aspiration catheter of claim 6, further comprising a housing lumen configured to house a memory shape member that is configured to inflate the expandable member upon deployment of the memory shape member from the housing lumen. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The aspiration catheter of claim 6, wherein the expandable member comprises an inflatable balloon, and further comprising a second supply lumen configured to supply a liquid infusion into the expandable member in order to inflate the expandable member. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The aspiration catheter of claim 6, wherein the expandable member comprises a woven or braided portion at the distal end of the elongate shaft, wherein the woven or braided portion of the elongate shaft is configured to expand in a radial direction when a linear actuation force is applied in an axial direction to the woven or braided portion. ### Claim 12 An aspiration catheter comprising: an elongate shaft configured for placement within a blood vessel, the elongate shaft having a distal end with an opening at the distal end; a supply lumen and an aspiration lumen each extending along an interior of the shaft, coextensive with the shaft, the supply lumen having a proximal end and a distal end, and the aspiration lumen having a proximal end and a distal opening; an orifice near the distal end of the supply lumen, the orifice being configured to allow injection of pressurized fluid into the aspiration lumen at or near the distal end of the aspiration lumen when the pressurized fluid is pumped through the supply lumen; a tissue encroachment prevention assembly for preventing the blood vessel from being drawn into the aspiration lumen and into close proximity to the orifice of the supply lumen during aspiration, the tissue encroachment prevention assembly comprising an expandable member located at or near the distal end of the aspiration catheter, the expandable member comprising a channel and being configured to move between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration; and a memory shape member that is selectively advanceable from the elongate shaft and into the channel of the expandable member to move the expandable member from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration and selectively withdrawable from the channel and into the elongate shaft to allow the expandable member to return toward the collapsed configuration. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The aspiration catheter of claim 12, wherein the expandable member has a proximal end attached to the elongate shaft and a distal opening. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The aspiration catheter of claim 12, wherein the distal opening of the expandable member has an inner diameter that is larger than the inner diameter of the aspiration lumen. ### Claim 15 An aspiration catheter comprising: an elongate shaft configured for placement within a blood vessel, the elongate shaft having a distal end with an opening at the distal end; a supply lumen and an aspiration lumen each extending along an interior of the shaft, coextensive with the shaft, the supply lumen having a proximal end and a distal end, and the aspiration lumen having a proximal end and a distal opening; an orifice near the distal end of the supply lumen, the orifice being configured to allow injection of pressurized fluid into the aspiration lumen at or near the distal end of the aspiration lumen when the pressurized fluid is pumped through the supply lumen; a woven or braided portion at the distal end of the elongate shaft; and an actuator configured to apply a linear actuation force in an axial direction to the woven or braided portion, wherein, upon actuation of the actuator, the woven or braided portion is configured to reshape a distal tip of the woven or braided portion from a configuration in which a distal-most surface of the distal tip approximates a plane lying generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the aspiration catheter to a slanted distal tip configuration in which a first side of the distal tip is longer than an opposite second side of the distal tip, wherein the distal opening has an oval shape in the slanted distal tip configuration with a dimension along a major axis that is larger than a corresponding dimension of the distal opening before the distal tip is reshaped to the slanted distal tip configuration, and wherein a jet spray location from the supply lumen is positioned toward the second side of the distal tip. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The aspiration catheter of claim 15, wherein the elongate shaft comprises a hypotube portion proximal to the woven or braided portion. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The aspiration catheter of claim 15, wherein the supply lumen is defined at least in part by a supply tube, and wherein the supply tube is configured to move axially when the woven or braided portion is reshaped to the slanted distal tip configuration. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The aspiration catheter of claim 15, wherein the supply lumen is defined at least in part by a supply tube, and wherein the supply tube is configured to remain fixed while the woven or braided portion is reshaped to the slanted distal tip configuration. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The aspiration catheter of claim 15, wherein the second side of the distal tip is a shorter side of the distal tip in the slanted distal tip configuration, and wherein the jet spray location is positioned toward the shorter side of the distal tip. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The aspiration catheter of claim 19, wherein the distal opening has a minor axis in the slanted distal tip configuration, and wherein a dimension of the distal opening along the minor axis is the same as or different from a diameter of the distal opening before the distal tip is reshaped to the slanted distal tip configuration.