Inverting mechanical thrombectomy apparatuses
Mechanical thrombectomy apparatuses (devices, systems, etc.) and methods for deploying and/or positioning them within a vessel and/or using them and/or removing a thrombus, e.g., clot, from within a vessel using them.
1. An apparatus for removing a material from a lumen, the apparatus comprising:
an inversion support catheter having a distal end and a distal end opening;
a puller within the inversion support catheter;
a flexible tube that is coupled at a first end region to the puller, wherein a second end region of the flexible tube and at least a first portion of the flexible tube extends over an outer surface of the inversion support catheter, wherein the first portion of the flexible tube is held in a compressed configuration on the outer surface of the inversion support catheter by a releasable attachment that is configured to secure the second end region of the flexible tube to a longitudinal position on the inversion support catheter; and
wherein the puller is configured to be withdrawn proximally through the inversion support catheter to pull the flexible tube proximally within the inversion support catheter so that the flexible tube inverts over the distal end opening.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the flexible tube is a knitted material.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the flexible tube is a woven material.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the flexible tube is formed of one or more strands of a steel, a nickel titanium, a polyester, a nylon, or an expanded Polytetrafluorethylene (ePTFE).
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the tractor comprises one or more coatings from the group of: a lubricious coating, a metal coating, a heparin coating, an adhesive coating, and a drug coating.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the flexible tube includes a first end, the first end of the flexible tube is coupled proximal to a distal end of the puller.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured so that the flexible tube may be retracted into the inversion support catheter by applying less than 300 grams of force to a distal end of the flexible tube.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the puller comprises an elongate microcatheter.
9. An apparatus for removing a material from a lumen, the apparatus comprising:
an inversion support catheter having a distal end and a distal end opening;
a puller within the inversion support catheter;
a flexible tube that is coupled at a first end region of the flexible tube to a distal end region of the puller that is proximal to the distal end of the puller, wherein a second end region of the flexible tube and at least a first portion of the flexible tube extends over an outer surface of the inversion support catheter, wherein the first portion of the flexible tube is held in a compressed configuration on the outer surface of the inversion support catheter by a releasable attachment securing the second end region of the flexible tube relative to the inversion support catheter; and
wherein the puller is configured to be withdrawn proximally through the inversion support catheter to pull the flexible tube proximally within the inversion support catheter so that the flexible tube inverts over the distal end opening.
10. A method of removing a material from a lumen, the method comprising:
positioning a distal end of an apparatus adjacent to the material within the lumen, wherein the apparatus includes a flexible tube that extends along an outer surface of an inversion support catheter and inverts over a distal end of the inversion support catheter, wherein the flexible tube is held in a longitudinally compressed configuration over the outer surface of the inversion support catheter by a releasable attachment;
pulling a first end of the flexible tube proximally within the inversion support catheter to roll the flexible tube over the distal end of the inversion support catheter so that the flexible tube inverts into the inversion support catheter and draws the material into the inversion support catheter.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein pulling comprises applying less than 300 grams of force to the first end of the flexible tube to invert the flexible tube into the inversion support catheter and draw the material into the inversion support catheter.
12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising securing a second end of the flexible tube relative to the inversion support catheter to maintain the flexible tube longitudinally compressed over the outer surface of the inversion support catheter.
13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising releasing a releasable attachment holding the flexible tube in the longitudinally compressed configuration over the outer surface of the inversion support catheter.
14. The method of claim 10 , wherein positioning the distal end of the apparatus comprises advancing the apparatus through a body lumen until a distal end of a puller that is coupled to the first end of the flexible tube is positioned adjacent or into the material within the lumen.
15. The method of claim 10 , wherein positioning comprises sliding the apparatus over a guidewire.
16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the flexible tube is a knitted material.
17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the flexible tube is a woven material.
18. The method of claim 10 , wherein pulling comprises pulling a puller proximally within the inversion support catheter, wherein the first end of the flexible tube is coupled to the puller.