Methods of aspirating thrombi

1. A method of aspirating thrombi using a varying suction pattern, comprising:

inserting a distal end of a microcatheter within vasculature and advancing the distal end of the microcatheter to a location proximal to a thrombus;

inserting a thrombectomy device to at least partially span the thrombus,

applying suction to a proximal end of the microcatheter to aspirate the thrombus,

wherein the suction applied comprises a repetitive pattern of varying suction intensity levels each applied for a particular time duration, wherein the repetitive pattern comprises three different suction intensity levels and at least one pause for a pause time duration,

wherein applying suction to the proximal end of the microcatheter comprises causing an automated control unit to apply negative suction having the repetitive pattern, and

wherein the at least one pause is at the end of the repetitive pattern such that there is a pause between each repetition of the repetitive pattern.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the three different suction intensity levels each have a time duration between 1 and 30 seconds.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pause time duration is between 1 and 15 seconds.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the time duration of a first suction intensity level of the repetitive pattern is longer than the time duration of a second suction intensity level of the repetitive pattern.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the repetitive pattern comprises a first suction intensity level for a first time duration, a second suction intensity level for a second time duration, and a third suction intensity level for a third time duration, wherein the first suction intensity level is lower than the second suction intensity level and wherein the second suction intensity level is lower than the third suction intensity level and greater than the first suction intensity level.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the at least one pause is between the third time duration and the first time duration.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the repetitive pattern comprises a pause for the pause time duration between each of the time durations of the suction intensity levels.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first time duration, the second time duration and the third time duration are uniform.

9. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first suction intensity level is within a range between −100 and −350 mm Hg, wherein the second suction intensity level is within a range between −351 and −550 mm Hg, and wherein the third suction intensity level is within a range between −551 and −769 mm Hg.

10. A method of aspirating thrombi using a varying suction pattern, comprising:

inserting a distal end of a catheter within vasculature to a location proximate a thrombus;

causing negative suction to be applied to the location through the catheter, using an automated control unit, wherein the negative suction applied has a repetitive suction pattern and a pause between each repetition of the repetitive suction pattern,

wherein the repetitive suction pattern comprises a first intensity level for a first time duration, a second intensity level for a second time duration, and a pause time duration wherein suction is paused, and

wherein the second intensity level is greater than the first intensity level.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first time duration, the second time duration and the pause time duration are uniform.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the repetitive suction pattern comprises a pause having the pause time duration between each of the first and second time durations.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the repetitive suction pattern comprises, in order, the first intensity level for the first time duration, a first pause for the pause time duration, the second intensity level for the second time duration, a second pause for the pause time duration, a third intensity level for a third time duration, and a third pause for the pause time duration.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the repetitive suction pattern comprises, in order, the first intensity level for the first time duration, the second intensity level for the second time duration, a third intensity level for a third time duration, and a pause for the pause time duration.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the time durations is different from at least one of the other time durations.

16. A method of aspirating thrombi using a varying suction pattern, comprising:

providing an aspiration system comprising a catheter, suction tubing and an automated suction control unit, the aspiration system configured for:

causing suction to be applied by the suction control unit to a location proximate to a thrombus through the suction tubing coupled to a proximal end of the catheter upon user selection of one of a plurality of preconfigured repetitive suction patterns,

wherein each of the preconfigured repetitive suction patterns comprises a first intensity level having a first time duration, a second intensity level having a second time duration, and a pause time duration wherein suction is paused, and

wherein the second intensity level is greater than the first intensity level, and

wherein the applied suction comprises a pause between each repetition of the repetitive suction pattern.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the catheter is selected from the group consisting of: a microcatheter, a distal access microcatheter, a guide catheter and a balloon catheter.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the catheter is a microcatheter.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein at least one of the three time durations is different from at least one of the other three time durations.