Vascular and bodily duct treatment devices and methods

An embolic obstruction retrieval device comprising:

• an elongate self-expandable member having a radially expanded configuration and a radially constrained configuration, the expandable member being biased in the expanded configuration and comprising a plurality of generally longitudinal undulating elements with adjacent undulating elements of the plurality being interconnected in a manner to form a plurality of diagonally disposed cells defining a cell pattern, the expandable member having a proximal portion, an elongate central body portion, and a distal portion,
• wherein the cell structures in the central body portion are circumferentially disposed about a longitudinal axis of the expandable member, and
• wherein a longitudinal slit free of undulating elements extends lengthwise along the central body portion of the expandable member.

An embolic obstruction retrieval device comprising:

• an elongate self-expandable member having a radially expanded configuration and a radially constrained configuration, the expandable member being biased in the expanded configuration and comprising a plurality of generally longitudinal undulating elements with adjacent undulating elements of the plurality being interconnected in a manner to form a plurality of diagonally disposed cells defining a cell pattern, the expandable member having a proximal portion, an elongate central body portion, and a distal portion, wherein the cell structures in the central body portion are circumferentially disposed about a longitudinal axis of the expandable member,
• wherein a longitudinal slit free of undulating elements extends lengthwise and diagonally along the expandable member, the slit defining a spiral free of undulating elements around the longitudinal axis, and
• wherein a first undulating element in the proximal portion comprises a first substantially linear rail, and a second undulating element in the proximal portion forms a second substantially linear rail, each of the first and second substantially linear rails forming acute angles with the longitudinal axis of the expandable member, and wherein the slit originates at one of the first and second substantially linear rails.