Devices for Clearing Blockages in Artificial Lumens

1 . A device for clearing blockages, comprising:

a tube that is slit, wherein the tube has a lumen; and

a reciprocating member, wherein a portion of the reciprocating member is located within the lumen.

2 . The device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the tube is a sheath.

3 . The device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the tube is a conduit.

4 . The device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the portion of the reciprocating member that is located within the lumen is a proximal portion of the reciprocating member, wherein a distal portion of the reciprocating member is located outside of the lumen, wherein the distal portion is at least 10% of a length of the reciprocating member.

5 . The device as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a cutter, wherein the cutter comprising:

a body;

a channel that extends through the body;

a blade carried by the body; and

wherein the tube is located in the channel, wherein the blade engages the tube and cuts the tube to create the slit when the tube is moved through the channel.

6 . The device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the slit extends in an axial direction of the tube and extends completely through a wall of the tube.

7 . The device as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a splitter that receives the tube and the reciprocating member, wherein the reciprocating member is removed from the lumen of the tube at the splitter upon distal movement of the reciprocating member through the splitter.

8 . A device for clearing blockages, comprising:

a tube that has a lumen;

a reciprocating member that has a diameter that is smaller than a diameter of the tube; and

a splitter that engages the tube as the reciprocating member moves in a distal direction.

9 . The device as set forth in claim 8 , wherein a proximal portion of the reciprocating member is located within the lumen, and wherein a distal portion of the reciprocating member is located outside of the lumen, wherein all of the reciprocating member located distal of the splitter is located outside of the lumen.

10 . The device as set forth in claim 8 , wherein a portion of the reciprocating member is located in the lumen, wherein movement of the reciprocating member in the distal direction causes an increase in the amount of the reciprocating member that is located outside of the lumen.

11 . The device as set forth in claim 8 , wherein the splitter has a body that defines a stem channel, wherein a portion of the reciprocating member is simultaneously located in the lumen and the stem channel;

wherein the body has hypodermic tubing that engages the tube as the reciprocating member moves in the distal direction to cause the reciprocating member to be removed from the lumen of the tube as the reciprocating member is moved through hypodermic tubing channel of the hypodermic tubing and the tube is located outside of the hypodermic tubing channel; and

wherein the hypodermic tubing is located distal to the stem channel.

12 . The device as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the splitter has a spike that is located distal to the hypodermic tubing, wherein the reciprocating member moves through the spike in the distal direction and exits through a spike exit port at a distal terminal end of the splitter, wherein the tube is not located within the spike.

13 . The device as set forth in claim 8 , wherein the splitter has a conical guide that decreases in radial size in a proximal direction, wherein the reciprocating member moves through the conical guide and wherein the tube is located outside of the conical guide.

14 . The device as set forth in claim 8 , wherein the splitter defines a radial opening that is located between a distal terminal end of the splitter and a proximal terminal end of the splitter, wherein the tube is moved through the radial opening, and wherein the reciprocating member is not moved through the radial opening.

15 . The device as set forth in claim 8 , wherein the tube is a conduit

16 . A device for clearing blockages, comprising:

a tube that has a lumen, wherein the tube has a slit that extends completely through a wall of the tube and extends in an axial direction of the tube;

a reciprocating member; and

a splitter that separates the reciprocating member from the tube such that the reciprocating member is removed from the lumen of the tube when the reciprocating member moves in a distal direction relative to the splitter, wherein the reciprocating member is located into the lumen of the tube as the reciprocating member moves in a proximal direction relative to the splitter.

17 . The device as set forth in claim 16 , wherein the tube is a conduit.

18 . The device as set forth in claim 16 , wherein the tube is a sheath.

19 . A cutter for creating a slit in a tube, comprising:

a body;

a channel that extends through the body;

a blade carried by the body; and

a tube that is located in the channel, wherein the blade engages the tube and cuts the tube to create the slit when the tube is moved through the channel.

20 . The cutter as set forth in claim 19 , wherein the body is made of a first half and a second half, wherein the channel is defined by both the first half and the second half, wherein the blade is a scalpel blade and is located inside of the body and extends into the channel, wherein the tube is a conduit and wherein the slit extends completely through a wall of the conduit.