Device and method involving stabilization during clot removal

1. A clot removal device configured for deployment from a proximal side of a clot location, the device comprising:

a shaft;

an expandable clot engagement element on the end of the shaft, the clot engagement element and the shaft being configured for deployment in a blood vessel from the proximal side of the clot location; and

a stabilizer configured to at least partially surround the shaft and to maintain a portion of the shaft in a non-contacting relationship with a wall of the blood vessel;

wherein the expandable clot engagement element includes a helix having an open end on a distal side thereof configured, in an expanded state, to encircle a clot from the proximal side of the clot location, with a terminal end of the clot engagement element being located substantially at the expanded open end of the helix and aligned with a circumference of the helix, to define a substantially unobstructed channel for encircling the clot.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the helix includes a plurality of windings having a substantially constant pitch in the expanded state of the expandable clot engagement element.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the helix includes a plurality of windings having a substantially constant radius in the expanded state of the expandable clot engagement element.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer is configured to maintain the helix in a generally axial orientation in the blood vessel.

5. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a clot capture element, and wherein the stabilizer is connected to the clot capture element.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the clot capture element is a mesh-like tube, and wherein the stabilizer includes an opening in an end of the mesh-like tube.

7. The device of claim 5 , wherein the stabilizer includes a portion of a control shaft extending from a proximal end of the clot capture element.

8. A clot removal device configured for deployment from a proximal side of a clot location, the device comprising:

a shaft;

an expandable clot engagement element on an end of the shaft, the clot engagement element including a rotatable helix, wherein the helix extends from the shaft, and wherein the shaft and the helix are configured for deployment in a blood vessel from the proximal side of the clot location; and

a stabilizer, including an opening through which the shaft passes, the stabilizer being configured to maintain the shaft generally in a center of the blood vessel during rotation of the helix;

wherein the helix has an open end on a distal side thereof configured in an expanded state of the clot engagement element, to encircle a clot from the proximal side of the clot location, with a terminal end of the clot engagement element being located substantially at the expanded open end of the helix and aligned with a circumference of the helix, to define a substantially unobstructed channel for encircling the clot.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the stabilizer includes a tube with a tapered end, and wherein the opening is located at the tapered end.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the tube is made of a mesh-like structure.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the mesh-like structure is configured to contract radially when the tube is retracted in a longitudinal direction of the blood vessel.

12. A method for removing a clot from a blood vessel, the method comprising the steps of:

deploying an expandable clot engagement element in a blood vessel to a proximal side of a clot location, the expandable clot engagement element including a helix having an open end on a distal side thereof configured, in an expanded state, to encircle the clot from the proximal side of the clot location, with a terminal end of the clot engagement element being located substantially at the expanded open end of the helix and aligned with a circumference of the helix, to define a substantially unobstructed channel for encircling the clot from the proximal side of the clot location, with the clot engagement element located on an end of a shaft; and

deploying a stabilizer in the blood vessel in a manner at least partially surrounding the shaft, and to maintain a portion of the shaft in a non-contacting relationship with a wall of the blood vessel.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising positioning the stabilizer in a location adjacent the clot engagement element, and wherein the stabilizer is configured to substantially center the clot engagement element in the blood vessel.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising a step of rotating the clot engagement element about the clot while the clot engagement element is substantially centered by the stabilizer.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the helix includes a plurality of windings having a substantially constant pitch in the expanded state of the expandable clot engagement element.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the helix includes a plurality of windings having a substantially constant radius in the expanded state of the expandable clot engagement element.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the stabilizer maintains the helix in a generally axial orientation of the blood vessel.

18. The method of claim 12 , further comprising a step of deploying a clot capture element in the blood vessel, and wherein the stabilizer is connected to the clot capture element.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the clot capture element is a mesh-like tube, and wherein the stabilizer includes an opening in an end of the mesh-like tube.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the stabilizer includes a control shaft extending from a proximal end of the clot capture element.