Methods and apparatus for restoring flow

A device for removing an obstruction from a blood vessel, the device comprising:

• an elongate shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending therebetween:
• an expandable capture cage having an expanded configuration, a collapsed configuration, a proximal end, a distal end and an intermediate region disposed between the proximal and distal ends of the expandable capture cage,
• wherein the proximal end of the expandable capture cage is coupled to the distal end of the elongate shaft,
• wherein the expandable capture cage in the collapsed configuration is adapted to be delivered through the blood vessel to the obstruction,
• wherein the expandable capture cage in the expanded configuration is adapted to expand into and enmesh the obstruction so that the obstruction may be removed from the blood vessel by retraction of the elongate shaft,
• wherein the proximal end of the expandable capture cage comprises a first proximal region and second proximal region, the first proximal region having a plurality of closed cells having a first geometry, and the second proximal region having a plurality of closed cells having a second geometry different than the first geometry,
• wherein the distal end of the expandable capture cage comprises a plurality of closed cells having a third geometry different than the first geometry and the second geometry,
• wherein the distal end of the expandable capture cage comprises a tapered porous tip coupled to the plurality of closed cells having the third geometry, and
• wherein the intermediate region of the expandable capture cage comprises a plurality of closed cells having a fourth geometry different than the first geometry, the second geometry and the third geometry.

A method for removing an obstruction from a blood vessel, the method comprising:

• introducing a catheter into the blood vessel, wherein the catheter comprises an elongate shaft coupled to an expandable capture cage;
• advancing the catheter through the blood vessel so that the expandable capture cage engages the obstruction;
• radially expanding the expandable capture cage into the obstruction thereby enmeshing the obstruction with the expandable capture cage;
• and
• retracting the catheter and removing the obstruction from the blood vessel.