Retraction and aspiration device for treating embolism and associated systems and methods

1. An apparatus for use with a catheter system, wherein the catheter system enables intravascular delivery of an interventional device to a treatment site in a blood vessel, the apparatus comprising:

a housing configured to be releasably coupled to a proximal portion of the catheter system;

an actuation mechanism coupled to the housing, wherein the actuation mechanism includes—

a lever movably coupled to the housing;

a locking portion configured to engage a portion of the catheter system;

a pressure source coupled to the housing and the actuation mechanism; and

wherein movement of the lever simultaneously—

activates the pressure source to generate pressure, and

retracts at least a portion of the catheter system.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pressure source is configured to be manually operated.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the pressure source is a syringe.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pressure source is an automatic pressure source that is configured to intermittently generate negative pressure.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the blood vessel is a pulmonary artery.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the blood vessel is a cerebral blood vessel.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pressure source is a mechanical or electrical pump.

8. A system for extracting thrombus from a blood vessel of a human patient, the system comprising:

a catheter including—

a first elongated shaft having proximal portion and a distal portion, wherein an inner surface of the first elongated shaft defines a lumen,

a second elongated shaft positioned at least partially within the lumen of the first elongated shaft, wherein the second elongated shaft has a proximal portion and a distal portion, and

a treatment device coupled to the distal portion of the second elongated shaft;

a pressure source;

a retraction and aspiration device including an actuation mechanism configured to be coupled to the pressure source and at least one of the first and/or second elongated shafts, wherein the actuation mechanism includes a lever; and

wherein movement of the lever simultaneously generates a negative pressure in the lumen and retracts the second elongated shaft.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein:

the treatment device comprises an expandable braided structure having a delivery state and a deployed state,

when the treatment device is in the deployed state, the treatment device includes a plurality of radially extending portions and at least one cylindrical portion, wherein the cylindrical portion is between a pair of the radially extending portions, and

wherein the treatment device is configured to be delivered to a treatment site within a pulmonary blood vessel to remove clot material from the treatment site.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein:

the treatment device comprises an expandable braided structure having a delivery state and a deployed state,

when the treatment device is in the deployed state, the treatment device includes a plurality of radially extending portions and at least one cylindrical portion, wherein the cylindrical portion is between a pair of the radially extending portions, and

wherein the treatment device is configured to be delivered to a treatment site within a cerebral blood vessel to remove clot material from the treatment site.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the treatment device comprises:

a support member;

a first plurality of arcuate clot engagement members configured to deploy at a first location along the support member;

a second plurality of arcuate clot engagement members configured to deploy at a second location along the support member proximal of the first location;

wherein, when in the deployed state, the individual clot engagement members of the first and second pluralities of clot engagement members extend radially outward, then proximally with respect to the support member, then curve radially inwardly;

wherein the treatment device is configured to be delivered to a treatment site within a pulmonary blood vessel to remove clot material from the treatment site.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the treatment device comprises:

a support member;

a first plurality of arcuate clot engagement members configured to deploy at a first location along the support member;

a second plurality of arcuate clot engagement members configured to deploy at a second location along the support member proximal of the first location;

wherein, when in the deployed state, the individual clot engagement members of the first and second pluralities of clot engagement members extend radially outward, then proximally with respect to the support member, then curve radially inwardly;

wherein the treatment device is configured to be delivered to a treatment site within a cerebral blood vessel to remove clot material from the treatment site.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein the pressure source is a configured to be manually operated.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein the pressure source is an automatic pressure source that is configured to intermittently generate negative pressure.

15. A method for the intravascular treatment of clot material from a treatment site within a blood vessel of a human patient, the method comprising:

providing a retraction and aspiration device having an actuation mechanism, wherein the actuation mechanism has an actuator and is configured to be coupled to a pressure source and a proximal portion of a catheter, wherein the catheter includes an elongated shaft configured to be intravascularly positioned at the treatment site and an elongated member positioned within a lumen of the elongated shaft, wherein a distal portion of the elongated member includes a treatment device; and

moving the actuator to simultaneously generate a negative pressure within the lumen of the elongated shaft via the pressure source and retract the elongated member; and

incrementally drawing the treatment device and the clot material into the lumen of the elongated shaft.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the actuator is a lever coupled to the retraction and aspiration device.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising continuing to draw the clot material into the lumen of the elongated shaft when a distal terminus of the treatment device is spaced proximally from a distal terminus of the elongated shaft.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein activating the actuation mechanism occurs at a first time and wherein the method further comprises activating the actuation mechanism at a second time, and wherein the method further comprises:

removing between 10 cc and 80 cc of fluid from the treatment site during the first activation of the actuation mechanism; and

removing between 10 cc and 80 cc of fluid from the treatment site during the second activation of the actuation mechanism.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the treatment device comprises an expandable braided structure having a delivery state and a deployed state, wherein, when the treatment device is in the deployed state, the treatment device includes a plurality of radially extending portions and at least one cylindrical portion, wherein the cylindrical portion is between a pair of the radially extending portions.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the treatment device comprises:

a support member;

a first plurality of arcuate clot engagement members configured to deploy at a first location along the support member;

a second plurality of arcuate clot engagement members configured to deploy at a second location along the support member proximal of the first location; and

wherein, when in the deployed state, the individual clot engagement members of the first and second pluralities of clot engagement members extend radially outward, then proximally with respect to the support member, then curve radially inwardly.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein the treatment device is a stent retriever.

22. The method of claim 15 wherein the pressure source is one of a syringe, a mechanical pump, or an electrical pump.

23. A method for the intravascular treatment of clot material from a treatment site within a cerebral vessel of a human patient, the method comprising:

providing a retraction and aspiration device having an actuation mechanism, wherein the actuation mechanism is configured to be coupled to a pressure source and a proximal portion of a catheter, wherein the catheter includes an elongated shaft configured to be intravascularly positioned at the treatment site and an elongated member positioned within a lumen of the elongated shaft, wherein a distal portion of the elongated member includes a treatment device; and

activating an actuation mechanism to generate a negative pressure within the lumen of the elongated shaft via the pressure source and retract the elongated member; and

incrementally drawing the treatment device and the clot material into the lumen of the elongated shaft.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein activating an actuation mechanism includes moving a lever coupled to the retraction and aspiration device.

25. The method of claim 23 further comprising continuing to draw the clot material into the lumen of the elongated shaft when a distal terminus of the treatment device is spaced proximally from a distal terminus of the elongated shaft.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein activating the actuation mechanism occurs at a first time and wherein the method further comprises activating the actuation mechanism at a second time, and wherein the method further comprises:

removing between 20 cc and 80 cc of fluid from the treatment site during the first activation of the actuation mechanism; and

removing between 20 cc and 80 cc of fluid from the treatment site during the second activation of the actuation mechanism.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein the treatment device comprises an expandable braided structure having a delivery state and a deployed state, wherein, when the treatment device is in the deployed state, the treatment device includes a plurality of radially extending portions and at least one cylindrical portion, wherein the cylindrical portion is between a pair of the radially extending portions.

28. The method of claim 23 wherein the treatment device comprises:

a support member;

a first plurality of arcuate clot engagement members configured to deploy at a first location along the support member;

a second plurality of arcuate clot engagement members configured to deploy at a second location along the support member proximal of the first location; and

wherein, when in the deployed state, the individual clot engagement members of the first and second pluralities of clot engagement members extend radially outward, then proximally with respect to the support member, then curve radially inwardly.

29. The method of claim 23 wherein the treatment device is a stent retriever.

30. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the pressure source is one of a syringe, a mechanical pump, or an electrical pump.