Systems, methods and devices for removing obstructions from a blood vessel

A method of removing an obstruction from a blood vessel comprising the steps of:

• providing a catheter, an obstruction engaging device and an expandable capture element, the capture element being contained within a lumen of the catheter in a collapsed position, the capture element moving to an expanded position when positioned outside the lumen, the obstruction engaging device having a filament which is movable from a collapsed position to an expanded position;
• introducing the catheter into a blood vessel of a patient;
• engaging an obstruction with the filament, the filament penetrating and ensnaring the obstruction;
• expanding the capture element;
• and
• moving the obstruction into the capture element with the engaging device after the engaging and expanding steps.

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

• a catheter having a lumen;
• an expandable capture element contained within the lumen of the catheter, the capture element being in a collapsed position when contained within the lumen and being in an expanded position when positioned outside the lumen, the expandable capture element having a support structure forming a closed loop having a plurality of integrally formed hinges;
• and
• an obstruction engaging device which extends through the expandable capture element, the engaging device having a collapsed shape and an expanded shape.

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

• a catheter having a lumen;
• an expandable capture element which is contained within the lumen of the catheter, the capture element being slidable within the lumen of the catheter between a collapsed position contained within the lumen and an expanded position in which the capture element is positioned outside the lumen, the capture element having an expandable loop at the distal end, the loop being formed by an eyelet with a control arm extending through the eyelet;
• and
• an obstruction engaging device having a filament, the filament being movable from a collapsed position to an expanded position, the obstruction engaging element passing through the catheter.

A method of removing an obstruction from a blood vessel comprising the steps of:

• providing a catheter, an obstruction engaging device, a flexible material and an expandable capture element, the capture element being contained within a lumen of the catheter in a collapsed position, the capture element moving to an expanded position when positioned outside the lumen, the obstruction engaging device having a filament which is movable from a collapsed position to an expanded position, the flexible material being attached to a self-expanding support structure, the support structure forming a loop and having a plurality of longitudinal struts and being formed by a number of integrally formed hinges;
• introducing the catheter into a blood vessel of a patient;
• engaging an obstruction with the filament;
• expanding the capture element, the capture element being naturally biased toward the expanded position with the self-expanding support structure;
• and
• moving the obstruction into the capture element with the engaging device after the engaging and
• expanding steps.