Debulking catheters and methods

1. A method of removing material from a blood flow lumen, the method comprising:

providing a device having a distal housing having a wall defining a lumen sized to contain a cutting element, the wall of the distal housing having a side opening and having a diameter D adjacent to the opening, the cutting element being axially moveable within the lumen of the distal housing between a first position and a second position axially spaced from the first position, the cutting element having a portion extending through the opening and beyond the diameter D when in the first position, the cutting element being contained within the lumen of the distal housing when in the second position;

advancing the device through the blood flow lumen with the cutting element in the second position to a site where material is to be removed;

forcing the opening toward a wall of the site where material is to be removed; and

moving the cutting element and the opening in a distal direction with the cutting element in the first position so that material in the blood flow lumen is cut by the cutting element and directed into the opening as the cutting element and opening are moved through the blood flow lumen, the cutting element extending through the opening and beyond the diameter D when cutting the material in the blood flow lumen.

2. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the moving step is carried out with the cutting element and the opening moving together in unison through the blood flow lumen.

3. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the forcing step is carried out by bending the device so that the opening is forced against a wall of the blood flow lumen at the site.

4. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the providing step is carried out with the cutting element being rotatable, and wherein the moving step is carried out with the cutting element rotating when cutting the material.

5. A method as in claim 4 , wherein the providing step is carried out with the device including a distal portion having a longitudinal axis, and wherein the moving step is carried out with the cutting element rotating around an axis which is not parallel to the longitudinal axis of the distal portion of the device.

6. A method as in claim 4 , wherein the providing step is carried out with the cutting element having an axis of rotation which is movable relative to a longitudinal axis of the device.

7. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the moving step is carried out with the cutting element cutting a continuous piece of material.

8. A method as in claim 7 , wherein the cutting element directs the continuous piece of material into the opening.

9. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the moving step is carried out with the cutting element extending beyond the diameter D a distance of about 0.025 mm to about 0.64 mm.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of moving the cutting element is performed after the forcing step.

11. A method of removing material from a blood flow lumen, the method comprising:

providing a device having a distal housing having an outside diameter D and having a wall defining a lumen sized to contain a cutting element, a portion of the wall of the distal housing being removed to define a side opening, the cutting element being axially moveable within the lumen of the distal housing between a deployed position and a retracted position axially spaced from the deployed position, the cutting element having a portion extending through the opening and beyond the diameter D when in the deployed position, the cutting element being contained within the lumen of the distal housing when in the retracted position;

advancing the device through the blood flow lumen with the cutting element in the retracted position to a site where material is to be removed;

forcing the opening toward a wall of the site where material is to be removed; and

moving the cutting element and the opening in a distal direction with the cutting element in the deployed position so that material in the blood flow lumen is cut by the cutting element and directed into the opening as the cutting element and opening are moved through the blood flow lumen, the cutting element extending through the opening and beyond the diameter D when cutting the material in the blood flow lumen.

12. A method as in claim 11 , wherein the moving step is carried out with the cutting element and the opening moving together in unison through the blood flow lumen.

13. A method as in claim 11 , wherein the forcing step is carried out by bending the device so that the opening is forced against a wall of the blood flow lumen at the site.

14. A method as in claim 11 , wherein the providing step is carried out with the cutting element being rotatable, and wherein the moving step is carried out with the cutting element rotating when cutting the material.

15. A method as in claim 14 , wherein the providing step is carried out with the device including a distal portion having a longitudinal axis, and wherein the moving step is carried out with the cutting element rotating around an axis which is not parallel to the longitudinal axis of the distal portion of the device.

16. A method as in claim 14 , wherein the providing step is carried out with the cutting element having an axis of rotation which is movable relative to a longitudinal axis of the device.

17. A method as in claim 11 , wherein the moving step is carried out with the cutting element cutting a continuous piece of material.

18. A method as in claim 17 , wherein the cutting element directs the continuous piece of material into the opening.

19. A method as in claim 11 , wherein the moving step is carried out with the cutting element extending beyond the diameter D a distance of about 0.025 mm to about 0.64 mm.

20. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of moving the cutting element is performed after the forcing step.