Hydrodynamic clot flushing

Abstract

A process for flushing clots from an intravascular probe including the steps of positioning a catheter assembly in a blood vessel and then delivering a flushant through the catheter and past the probe at two rates. The flushant is first delivered at a continual rate to maintain the catheter substantially free of blood clots. Periodically, a pulse of flushant is delivered at a second flow rate that is higher than the continual rate that is effective to clear the probe of incipient clots. The hydrodynamic clot flushing system includes a cather insertable within an arterial or venous blood vessel, the cather having an internal axial bore for conducting fluid and in which a probe is slidably received. A valve delivers a flushant through the internal axial bore of the catheter and around the probe at two selected rates. A plurality of radially arrayed ribs formed on either the internal wall of the catheter or the outside of the probe or both hold the probe away from the wall and provide fluid channels for conducting flushant to the probe tip.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.