System and method for treating ischemic stroke

A method for removing a thromboembolism from a blood vessel, said method comprising:

• providing a device comprising a catheter having an axial lumen, a pusher element slidably disposed in the lumen of the catheter, and a thromboembolic receiver on a distal end of the pusher element, the receiver formed of a plurality of structural members arranged to form a sleeve having a central lumen, a first plurality of structural members comprising longitudinally extending struts, a second plurality of the structural members comprising v-shaped engaging elements, and a third set of structural members comprising a plurality of axially spaced-apart circumferential rings attached to the longitudinal struts, each of said v-shaped engaging elements being disposed between adjacent ones of the longitudinal struts and including a first leg extending into the central lumen from a first longitudinal strut and a second leg extending into the central lumen from a second, adjacent longitudinal strut, said first and second legs attached to one another within the central lumen to define a plurality of longitudinally oriented apexes extending in to the central lumen, wherein at least a distal row and a proximal row of the v-shaped engaging elements are disposed between a distal circumferential ring and a proximal circumferential ring and each apex is unattached to any other structure within the central lumen;
• providing at least one elongate element;
• passing the at least one elongate element through the thromboembolic receiver in order to engage one or more engagement elements whereby said engagement elements are prevented from extending medially into the lumen of the thromboembolic receiver;
• positioning a distal end of the catheter adjacent to the thromboembolism in the blood vessel;
• withdrawing said one or more elongate elements until the engagement elements are released from the constraint of the elongate element;
• retracting the catheter relative to the pusher element to release the thromboembolic receiver wherein the open end of the expanded cylindrical thromboembolic receiver engages the thromboembolism;
• and
• retracting the pusher element to remove the thromboembolism from the blood vessel.