Aspiration catheter systems

1 . A blood clot aspiration system, comprising:

an aspiration catheter configured to aspirate blood from a patient's vasculature;

a clot capture chamber configured to receive the aspirated blood from the aspiration catheter and to capture and contain at least some blood clots from the blood;

a reservoir configured to receive blood from the clot capture chamber, wherein the reservoir includes a filter that is configured to filter the blood received from the clot capture chamber;

a blood return syringe configured to receive filtered blood from the reservoir and to inject the filtered blood into the patient's vasculature; and

a vent system comprising:

a common vent line that is configured to fluidly couple the reservoir, the clot capture chamber and the blood return syringe;

a syringe vent valve configured to allow venting of the blood return syringe to the common vent line to equalize a pressure among the blood return syringe, the clot capture chamber and the reservoir; and

a clot capture vent valve configured to allow venting of the clot capture chamber to an external atmosphere; wherein the clot capture chamber includes a lid that is spring-loaded to automatically open the lid when the clot capture chamber is vented to the surrounding environment.

2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a blood return line that is configured to carry filtered blood from the reservoir to the blood return syringe.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the clot capture chamber includes a connector that is configured to physically couple to the clot capture chamber with the blood return line, wherein the clot capture chamber is not directly fluidly coupled with the blood return line.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the clot capture chamber is coupled with the aspiration catheter via a catheter aspiration line.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the clot capture chamber includes a first connector that is configured to physically couple the common vent line with the clot capture chamber, and a third connector that is configured to physically couple the catheter aspiration line with the clot capture chamber.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the aspiration catheter includes a vacuum activation valve configured to allow the aspirated blood to flow into the clot capture chamber from the from the aspiration catheter, wherein the vacuum activation valve is configured to control suction through a lumen of the aspiration catheter.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the reservoir is visually transparent so that a user can visualize a level of filtered blood contained within the reservoir.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein when the syringe vent valve is open, the blood return syringe is configured to draw filtered blood from the reservoir.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the clot capture chamber includes a removable tray that includes an intermediate surface with a plurality of apertures and that is configured to capture blood clot material and allow un-clotted blood to pass, wherein an intermediate surface is sloped relative to a bottom surface of the clot capture chamber when the removable tray is within the clot capture chamber.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the clot capture chamber includes a latch that is configured to hold the lid in a closed position.

11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the clot capture chamber includes a one-way valve that is configured to prevent blood from flowing back into the clot capture chamber from the reservoir when the clot capture chamber is vented to the external atmosphere.

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the aspiration catheter includes a rigidizing sheath comprising an elongate flexible body, the elongate flexible body comprising a plurality of layers, including a rigidizing layer and bladder layer that is configured to transition the rigidizing layer between a flexible state and a rigid state.

13 . A method for removing blood clot material, the method comprising:

aspirating blood with the blood clot material from a patient's vasculature using an aspiration catheter, wherein:

a clot capture chamber receives the aspirated blood from the aspiration catheter and captures at least some of the blood clot material from the aspirated blood within the clot capture chamber;

a reservoir receives blood from the clot capture chamber, wherein the reservoir includes a filter that is configured to filter the blood received from the clot capture chamber;

opening a syringe vent valve to allow venting of a blood return syringe to a common vent line that fluidly couples the reservoir, the clot capture chamber and the blood return syringe, wherein opening the syringe vent valve equalizes a pressure among the blood return syringe, the clot capture chamber and the reservoir;

drawing filtered blood into the blood return syringe from the reservoir while the syringe vent valve is open; injecting the filtered blood into the patient's vasculature from the blood return syringe; opening a clot capture vent valve to allow venting of the clot capture chamber to an external atmosphere, and opening a lid of the clot capture chamber to allow access to a removable tray, wherein the removable tray is configured to capture clots therein, wherein the lid automatically opens upon actuation of the clot capture vent valve.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising closing the lid, wherein a latch of the clot capture chamber retains the lid in a closed position.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the clot capture chamber includes one-way valve that prevents blood from flowing back into the clot capture chamber from the reservoir when the clot capture chamber is vented to the external atmosphere.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the reservoir has a window that allows visualization of a level of filtered blood contained within the reservoir.

17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein aspirating the blood with the blood clot material from a patient's vasculature comprises:

advancing a rigidizing aspiration sheath catheter in the patient's vasculature while the rigidizing aspiration sheath catheter is in a flexible state so that a distal end of the rigidizing aspiration sheath catheter is near the blood clot material;

transitioning the rigidizing aspiration sheath catheter from the flexible state to a more rigid state; and

aspirating through the rigidizing aspiration sheath catheter in the more rigid state.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein a proximal end of the rigidizing aspiration sheath catheter comprises a hemostasis valve portion.

19 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

inserting the aspiration catheter through the rigidizing aspiration sheath catheter;

extending the aspiration catheter distally out of the rigidizing aspiration sheath catheter proximate to the clot material with the rigidizing aspiration sheath catheter in the more rigid state; and

aspirating through the aspiration catheter.

20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein transitioning the rigidizing aspiration sheath catheter from the flexible state to a more rigid state comprises applying pressure to one or more layers of the rigidizing aspiration sheath catheter.