Methods and apparatus for flow restoration

A method for restoring localized blood flow in a cerebral artery occluded with a thrombus, comprising:

• delivering a blood-flow-restoration apparatus with a microcatheter to a site radially adjacent to the thrombus in the cerebral artery, the apparatus comprising a self-expandable distal segment and a proximal elongate member, the distal segment comprising a tubular structure, the proximal elongate member is attached to the distal segment by a plurality of struts such that the proximal elongate member extends generally parallel to, and is offset from, a central longitudinal axis of the tubular structure, the structure being configured to assume an expanded configuration at the site, and to be modified into a compressed configuration for delivery through the microcatheter, the compressed configuration having a smaller cross-sectional dimension than the expanded configuration, the structure is configured to expand into the thrombus when transitioning from the compressed configuration to the expanded configuration;
• and
• expanding the structure at the site, by proximally withdrawing the microcatheter from over the structure, such that at least an outer portion of the structure engages and applies an outward radial force on the thrombus, whereby the structure interlocks with at least a portion of the thrombus, the portion of the thrombus extending both inside of the structure and outside of the structure;
• and
• removing the portion of the thrombus, by retracting the apparatus while the portion of the thrombus extends both inside of the structure and outside of the structure.