Percutaneous or surgical radiofrequency intravascular thrombectomy catheter system and method

1. A catheter system for ablating a partial or a complete blockage of a corporal vessel, the catheter system comprising:

a catheter sleeve defining a lumen extending therethrough, the catheter sleeve defining a distal end portion and a proximal end portion;

a pair of electrodes disposed at the distal end portion of the catheter sleeve, wherein the pair of electrodes are disposed on opposed sides of the lumen of the catheter sleeve; and

a guidewire slidably disposed within the lumen of the catheter sleeve, the guidewire including a capture element supported proximate a distal end thereof, wherein the guidewire is slidable with respect to the catheter sleeve to expose the capture element from the distal end portion of the catheter sleeve;

wherein the capture element includes a first condition wherein the capture element is retracted onto the guidewire and a second condition wherein the capture element is thermally treated to radially expand relative to the guidewire such that the capture element at least substantially spans the entire lumen of the vessel.

2. The catheter system according to claim 1 , wherein each electrode is isolated from one another.

3. The catheter system according to claim 1 , wherein the capture element forms a cage when in the second condition.

4. An electrosurgical system for ablating a partial or a complete blockage of a corporal vessel, the electrosurgical system comprising:

a source of electrosurgical energy;

a catheter system including:

a catheter sleeve defining a lumen extending therethrough, the catheter sleeve defining a distal end portion and a proximal end portion;

a pair of electrodes disposed at the distal end portion of the catheter sleeve, wherein the pair of electrodes are disposed on opposed sides of the lumen of the catheter sleeve; and wherein the pair of electrodes are electrically connected to the source of electrosurgical energy; and

a guidewire slidably disposed within the lumen of the catheter sleeve, the guidewire including a capture element supported proximate a distal end thereof, wherein the guidewire is slidable with respect to the catheter sleeve to expose the capture element from the distal end portion of the catheter sleeve;

wherein the capture element includes a first condition wherein the capture element is retracted onto the guidewire and a second condition wherein the capture element is thermally treated to radially expand relative to the guidewire such that the capture element at least substantially spans the entire lumen of the vessel.

5. The electrosurgical system according to claim 4 , wherein the source of electrosurgical energy delivers an effective amount of energy to the electrodes to ablate the blockage.

6. The electrosurgical system according to claim 4 , wherein each electrode is electrically isolated from one another.

7. The electrosurgical system according to claim 4 , wherein the capture element forms a cage when in the second condition.

8. A method of ablating a partial or a complete blockage in a corporal vessel, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a source of electrosurgical energy;

providing a catheter system for ablating a partial or a complete blockage of a corporal vessel, the catheter system including:

a catheter sleeve defining a lumen extending therethrough, the catheter sleeve defining a distal end portion and a proximal end portion;

a pair of electrodes disposed at the distal end portion of the catheter sleeve, wherein the pair of electrodes are disposed on opposed sides of the lumen of the catheter sleeve; and wherein the pair of electrodes are in electrical communication with the source of electrosurgical energy; and

a guidewire slidably disposed within the lumen of the catheter sleeve, the guidewire including a capture element supported proximate a distal end thereof, wherein the guidewire is slidable with respect to the catheter sleeve to expose the capture element from the distal end portion of the catheter sleeve;

wherein the capture element includes a first condition wherein the capture element is retracted onto the guidewire and a second condition wherein the capture element is thermally treated to radially expand relative to the guidewire such that the capture element at least substantially spans the entire lumen of the vessel;

introducing the catheter sleeve into the corporal vessel at a location upstream of the partial or complete blockage;

advancing the catheter sleeve through the corporal vessel to the partial or complete blockage such that the pair of electrodes are in close proximity to the partial or complete blockage;

advancing the guide wire through the partial or complete blockage to position the capture element downstream of the partial or complete blockage;

deploying the capture element to at least substantially span the lumen of the corporal vessel; and

activating the source of electrosurgical energy to energize the pair of electrodes and to ablate the partial or complete blockage.

9. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising the step of delivering an effective amount of energy for an effective amount of time to the partial or complete blockage.

10. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising the step of delivering energy in a range of between about 20 kHz and 20 MHz, to the pair of electrodes.

11. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising the step of delivering energy in a range of between about 5 volts (RMS) and 300 volts (RMS), to the pair of electrodes.