Aspiration catheters and method of use

A method of fabricating an aspiration catheter for removing emboli or other particles from a blood vessel, comprising:

• providing a first elongate tubular body having a single lumen extending therethrough;
• affixing an aspiration port to a proximal end of said first elongate tubular body such that said aspiration port is in fluid communication with said single lumen;
• heating and stretching a distal portion of said first elongate tubular body to narrow the diameter of said distal portion;
• removing material from one side of a distal end of said first elongate tubular body to form a cut section;
• providing a second elongate tubular body having a primary lumen extending therethrough and a secondary lumen extending within said primary such that said primary lumen has a crescent cross-section and said second elongate tubular body has a round cross-section, said secondary lumen being substantially parallel with said primary lumen, said secondary lumen extending distally beyond an aspiration mouth of said primary lumen and forming a distal end of said aspiration catheter, said aspiration mouth having an oblique angle relative to a longitudinal axis of said primary lumen and being in fluid communication therewith, said aspiration mouth facing away from said secondary lumen;
• inserting a rod into said distal end of said secondary lumen such that a distal end of said rod is outside of said distal end of said secondary lumen and a proximal end of said rod protrudes from a proximal end of said secondary lumen;
• forming a junction by inserting said distal end of said first elongate tubular body into a proximal end of said primary lumen such that said cut section faces towards said secondary lumen;
• and
• positioning a length of shrink tubing over said junction and causing said shrink tubing to contract thereon.

An aspiration catheter for removing emboli or other particles from a blood vessel, comprising:

• a proximal portion having a first lumen extending therethrough;
• a distal portion having a second lumen and a third lumen extending therethrough, said third lumen extending within said second lumen and being substantially parallel therewith such that said second lumen has a crescent cross-section and said distal portion has a round cross-section;
• and
• a junction comprising said proximal portion being distally inserted into a proximal end of said distal portion such that said first lumen is in fluid communication with said second lumen.

An aspiration catheter for removing emboli or other particles from a blood vessel, comprising:

• a dual lumen portion having a primary lumen and a secondary lumen, said primary lumen having a distal aspiration mouth in fluid communication with said primary lumen, said secondary lumen extending within said primary lumen and protruding distally beyond said aspiration mouth to form a distal end of said aspiration catheter;
• a single lumen portion having a distal end inserted into a proximal end of said primary lumen such that a proximal end of said single lumen portion is in fluid communication with said aspiration mouth;
• and
• an aspiration port disposed on said proximal end of said single lumen portion and in fluid communication with said aspiration mouth.

A method of fabricating an aspiration catheter for removing emboli or other particles from a blood vessel, comprising:

• providing a first elongate tubular body having a single lumen extending from a distal end to a proximal end, said proximal end being fitted with an aspiration port in fluid communication with said single lumen, said distal end having an oblique angle relative to a longitudinal axis of said first elongate tubular body, said distal end having a cut section extending proximally on one side;
• providing a second elongate tubular body having a primary lumen extending therethrough and a secondary lumen extending within said primary lumen such that said primary lumen has a crescent cross-section and said second elongate tubular body has a round cross-section, said secondary lumen being substantially parallel with said primary lumen;
• inserting said distal end of said first elongate tubular body into a proximal end of said primary lumen with said cut section facing towards said secondary lumen;
• and
• securing said distal end of said first elongate tubular body to said proximal end of said primary lumen.

An aspiration catheter for removing emboli or other particles from a blood vessel, comprising:

• a shaft comprising a distal end and a proximal end and having at least a first lumen and a second lumen extending therebetween, said second lumen extending within said first lumen such that said first lumen has a crescent cross-section and said shaft has a round cross-section;
• an aspiration port disposed on said proximal end and being in fluid communication with said first lumen;
• an aspiration mouth disposed on said distal end and being in fluid communication with said first lumen, said aspiration mouth defining an oblique opening which faces away from said second lumen;
• and
• an opening disposed between said distal end and said proximal end of said shaft, said opening defining a proximal end of said second lumen and being in fluid communication with a distal end of said second lumen.