Methods, devices, and systems for postconditioning with clot removal

A method of using an assembly able to treat ischemia in a patient, comprising:

• identifying a blood clot in a blood vessel;
• inserting a catheter into the blood vessel, the catheter including a proximal region, a distal region, and a single lumen, wherein a pushwire with a proximal end and a distal end is placed at least partially within the single lumen;
• modulating blood flow in the blood vessel by selectively decreasing and increasing the flow of fluid through the blood vessel with a flow modulation member at least twice, wherein the flow modulation member is coupled to the distal region of the catheter and comprises an inflatable balloon having a balloon inflation aperture with the single lumen and adapted to receive inflating fluid from the single lumen, wherein one or more sealing members are provided along the lumen to reduce the volumetric flow rate of inflating fluid leaving the single lumen;
• and
• increasing the flow rate in the blood vessel by translating the catheter relative to the pushwire to deploy a flow restoration member, wherein the flow restoration member is coupled to the pushwire near the distal end of the pushwire and comprises a self-expanding scaffold able to engage the clot.

An assembly able to treat ischemia in a patient, comprising:

• an intermediate catheter with a proximal region, a distal region, and a single intermediate lumen;
• a flow modulation member coupled to the proximal region of the intermediate catheter and comprising an inflatable balloon to reversibly decrease and increase the flow of fluid through a blood vessel for modulating blood flow through the blood vessel, wherein the inflatable balloon has a balloon lumen continuous with the single intermediate lumen and receives inflating fluid from the lumen of the intermediate catheter;
• a microcatheter with a single microcatheter lumen, wherein the microcatheter is at least partially within the lumen of the intermediate catheter;
• a pushwire with a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the pushwire is at least partially within the lumen of the microcatheter;
• a flow restoration member coupled to the distal end of the pushwire and comprising a self-expanding scaffold able to engage a clot in a blood vessel;
• and
• one or more sealing members able to reduce the volumetric flow rate of inflating fluid leaving the single intermediate lumen.