Treatment of vascular occlusions using elevated temperatures

1. A method of treating a vascular obstruction at a treatment site within a patient's vascular system, the method comprising:

advancing a catheter to the treatment site, the catheter including a treatment zone, the catheter comprising a fluid delivery lumen that is coupled to an exit port within the treatment zone of the catheter;

passing a therapeutic compound through the fluid delivery lumen and the exit port, such that the therapeutic compound is delivered to the treatment site;

heating the treatment site to an elevated temperature; and

increasing a blood carrying capacity of the treatment site.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising maintaining the elevated temperature of the treatment site for at least five minutes.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising maintaining the elevated temperature of the treatment site for at least thirty minutes.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising maintaining the elevated temperature of the treatment site until blood flow through the treatment site is substantially reestablished.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein heating the treatment site to an elevated temperature comprises applying ultrasound energy to the treatment site.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein heating the treatment site to an elevated temperature comprises activating a heating element positioned within a treatment zone of the catheter.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein activating a heating element positioned within a treatment zone of the catheter comprises providing electrical power to the heat source.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein activating a heating element positioned within a treatment zone of the catheter comprises providing a heated fluid to the heat source.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising measuring a temperature at the treatment site.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein advancing a catheter to the treatment site comprises advancing the catheter through a portion of the patient's neurovascular system.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein advancing a catheter to the treatment site comprises advancing the catheter through a portion of the patient's leg.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the elevated temperature is greater than about 38 degrees Celsius.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the elevated temperature is greater than about 40 degrees Celsius.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the elevated temperature is less than about 43 degrees Celsius.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the elevated temperature is within the range of about 38 degrees Celsius to about 43 degrees Celsius.

16. A catheter comprising;

a tubular body having a fluid delivery lumen that is hydraulically coupled to an exit port within a treatment zone;

a heating element positioned within the treatment zone;

a temperature sensor in the treatment zone; and

a control system configured to maintain the treatment zone at an elevated temperature for a specified amount of time, wherein the specified amount of time is sufficient to increase the blood carrying capacity of the treatment zone.

17. A catheter as in claim 16 , wherein the heating element comprises an ultrasound element.

18. A catheter as in claim 16 , wherein the catheter is configured such that the treatment zone may be advanced into the main and subsequent branches of the middle cerebral artery.

19. A catheter as in claim 16 , wherein the heating element is configured to heat a therapeutic compound flowing through the fluid delivery lumen.

20. The catheter of claim 19 , wherein the heating element is configured to heat the therapeutic compound before it passes through the exit port.