EMBOLECTOMY DEVICE

1 . A method comprising the steps of:

providing a catheter having a wire for fragmenting an embolus at least partially disposed within a lumen of the catheter;

positioning a distal end of the catheter proximate an embolus; and

manipulating the wire to change the shape of the embolus,

wherein the catheter has a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen extending therebetween, the lumen having a longitudinal axis extending from the proximal end to the distal end, wherein the wire has a proximal end and a distal end and a center line extending therebetween that follows the path of the wire, the wire further having a proximal region, an intermediate region and a distal region, and the wire being at least partially disposed in the lumen, wherein the intermediate region has a generally uniform width along its length, and wherein the distal region of the wire includes a distal tip having a uniform profile along a length and a region proximate the distal tip having a maximum width perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the lumen that is greater than the width of the intermediate region of the wire and wherein the distal tip has a width that is less than that of the proximate region and wherein the intermediate region width is also less than that of the proximate region.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the step of manipulating the wire includes the step of unclogging a lumen to assist aspiration of the embolus.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the step of manipulating the wire includes the step of fragmenting an embolus.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the step of manipulating the wire includes the step of direct operator manipulation of a proximal end of the wire.

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising the step of providing a handle attached to a proximal portion of the wire for direct operator manipulation.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the embolus is located in a patient's vasculature.

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the step of positioning the distal end of the catheter includes the step of positioning the distal end of the wire within the embolus.

8 . The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of

providing a vacuum source fluidly connected to the distal end of the catheter, and operating the vacuum source.

9 . The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of flushing a region proximate the embolus with a fluid.

10 . The method of claim 1 wherein the distal region of the wire has a maximum width that is less than half the diameter of the blood vessel.

11 . The method of claim 10 wherein the proximate region of the distal region has a curved profile parallel to the longitudinal axis.

12 . The method of claim 11 wherein the maximum width of the proximate region is at least twice the width of the distal tip.

13 . The method of claim 12 wherein the cross-sectional shape of the wire along the center line is a simple closed shape.

14 . (canceled)

15 . The method of claim 14 wherein the wire is configured to move rapidly along the longitudinal axis of the lumen proximally and distally.

16 . The method of claim 13 wherein the proximate region has a first section having a first end that has a maximum thickness of material perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and a second end that abuts the distal tip, the proximate region further having a second section having a first end that abuts the first end of the first section and a second end that has a width equal to that of the intermediate region of the wire,

wherein the first section is longer than the second section.

17 . The method of claim 16 wherein the first section transitions gradually from the first end of the first section to the second end of the first section.

18 . The method of claim 16 wherein the first section is at least twice as long as the second section.

19 . The method of claim 16 wherein the magnitude of the tangent of any angle between a first line tangent to a point on the center line in the first section and a second line, coplanar to the first line, that is tangent to a second point on the surface of the wire is less than 0.84, where the second point is defined by the intersection of the surface of the wire and a line that extends through the point on the center line and is perpendicular to the first line.

20 . The method of claim 19 wherein the magnitude of the tangent is less than 0.71.

21 . The method of claim 19 wherein the magnitude of the tangent is less than 0.58.

22 . The method of claim 19 wherein the magnitude of the tangent is less than 0.47.

23 . The method of claim 19 wherein the magnitude of the tangent is less than 0.37.

24 . The method of claim 1 wherein the distal tip and the intermediate regions have approximately the same cross-sectional areas.

25 . The method of claim 24 wherein the distal tip cross-sectional area is equal to that of the intermediate region.

26 . A method comprising the steps of:

providing a catheter having a wire for fragmenting an embolus at least partially disposed within a lumen having a diameter and an elongate axis, the wire having an average thickness;

positioning a distal end of the catheter proximate an embolus;

manipulating the wire by hand to change the shape of the embolus;

providing a vacuum source fluidly connected to the distal end of the catheter; and

operating the vacuum source,

wherein the distal section of the wire has a width perpendicular to the elongate axis that is greater than the average thickness of the wire and less than the diameter of the lumen.

27 . The method of claim 26 wherein the cross-sectional shape of the wire is a simple closed shape.

28 . The method of claim 26 wherein the width of the distal section of the wire is less than half the diameter of the lumen.

29 . The method of claim 26 wherein the wire has a distal tip where the thickness is equal to or less than the average thickness along and wherein the thickness of the distal tip is uniform along a length of the wire.

30 . The method of claim 1 wherein the wire is free from attachment to a motion control apparatus.

31 . The method of claim 15 wherein the wire is configured to move at no more than 20 Hz.