MECHANICAL THROMBECTOMY ASSEMBLIES WITH RELIEF FEATURES, AND ASSOCIATED DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS
Disclosed herein are clot treatment systems including mechanical thrombectomy devices and clot treatment devices, and associated devices and methods. In some embodiments, a method of removing clot material from a blood vessel of patient includes inserting a catheter to proximate the clot material within the blood vessel while radially constraining a clot treatment device and an embolic protection device within the catheter. The method can further include moving the catheter proximally to deploy the clot treatment device at least partially distal to clot material within the blood vessel, and then moving the catheter further proximally to deploy the embolic protection device at least partially proximal to the clot material. The clot treatment device can include one or more relief features configured to release captured clot material if the force on the clot treatment device exceeds a threshold.
1 - 30 . (canceled)
31 . A clot treatment device for treating clot material within a blood vessel of a patient, the clot treatment device comprising:
an elongate shaft; and
a unitary structure coupled to the elongate shaft, wherein the unitary structure includes a plurality of interconnected struts, wherein the unitary structure extends along a longitudinal axis, wherein the unitary structure is expandable from a compressed position within a delivery catheter to an expanded position within the blood vessel, and wherein, in the expanded position, the unitary structure includes—
a proximal mouth configured to capture at least a portion of the clot material when the shaft is retracted proximally;
a relief feature angled inwardly toward the central axis and positioned distal to the proximal mouth, wherein the relief feature is configured to, when the shaft is retracted proximally—
retain the captured portion of the clot material between the proximal mouth and the relief feature when a force from the captured portion of the clot material on the relief feature is below a threshold, and
rotate away from the longitudinal axis when the force from the captured portion of the clot material equals or exceeds the threshold to reduce an overall force on the clot treatment device to inhibit mechanical failure of the clot treatment device.
32 . The clot treatment device of claim 31 wherein the relief feature has a V-shape.
33 . The clot treatment device of claim 31 wherein the relief feature is one of a plurality of relief features, and wherein each of the relief features is configured to, when the shaft is retracted proximally—
retain the captured portion of the clot material between the proximal mouth and the relief feature when the force from the captured portion of the clot material on the relief feature is below the threshold, and
rotate away from the longitudinal axis when the force from the captured portion of the clot material equals or exceeds the threshold to reduce the overall force on the clot treatment device to inhibit mechanical failure of the clot treatment device.
34 . The clot treatment device of claim 32 wherein the relief features are positioned at substantially a same axial position relative to the longitudinal axis, and wherein the plurality of relief features are substantially equally positioned circumferentially about the longitudinal axis.
35 . The clot treatment device of claim 33 wherein the plurality of relief features comprises three of the relief features.
36 . The clot treatment device of claim 31 wherein a subset of the plurality of interconnected struts define the relief feature.
37 . The clot treatment device of claim 31 wherein the plurality of interconnected struts include a pair of leading struts defining the proximal mouth.
38 . The clot treatment device of claim 37 wherein the leading struts are angled relative to the longitudinal axis.
39 . The clot treatment device of claim 37 wherein the leading struts each have a varying thickness along their length.
40 . The clot treatment device of claim 31 wherein the unitary structure includes a proximal end portion, and wherein the shaft is fixedly coupled to the proximal end portion of the unitary structure.
41 . A clot treatment device for treating clot material within a blood vessel of a patient, the clot treatment device comprising:
a unitary structure including a plurality of interconnected struts, wherein the plurality of interconnected struts include a pair of leading struts defining a proximal mouth, wherein each leading strut includes a plurality of strut segments each having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, and wherein—
each of the plurality of strut segments has a thickness that increases in a direction between the proximal end portion and the distal end portion; and
the thickness of each of the plurality of strut segments at the proximal end portion is less than the thickness at the distal end portion of an immediately adjacent and proximal one of the plurality of strut segments.
42 . The clot treatment device of claim 41 wherein the plurality of strut segments comprises four or more of the strut segments.
43 . The clot treatment device of claim 41 wherein the unitary structure extends along a longitudinal axis, and wherein the leading struts are acutely angled relative to the longitudinal axis.
44 . The clot treatment device of claim 41 wherein the plurality of strut segments are configured to preferentially collapse in a distal-to-proximal direction.
45 . The clot treatment device of claim 41 , further comprising an elongate shaft coupled to the unitary structure, wherein the unitary structure extends along a longitudinal axis and is expandable from a compressed position within a delivery catheter to an expanded position within the blood vessel, and wherein, in the expanded position—
the proximal mouth is configured to capture at least a portion of the clot material when the shaft is retracted proximally; and
the unitary structure includes a relief feature angled inwardly toward the longitudinal axis and positioned distal to the proximal mouth, wherein the relief feature is configured to, when the shaft is retracted proximally—
retain the captured portion of the clot material between the proximal mouth and the relief feature when a force from the captured portion of the clot material on the relief feature is below a threshold, and
rotate away from the longitudinal axis when the force from the captured portion of the clot material equals or exceeds the threshold to reduce an overall force on the clot treatment device to inhibit mechanical failure of the clot treatment device
46 . The clot treatment device of claim 45 wherein the relief feature has a V-shape.
47 . A clot treatment device for treating clot material within a blood vessel of a patient, the clot treatment device comprising:
a unitary structure including a plurality of interconnected struts, wherein the unitary structure extends long a longitudinal axis and includes—
a proximal mouth configured to capture at least a portion of the clot material;
a relief feature angled inwardly toward the longitudinal axis and configured to (i) retain the captured portion of the clot material between the proximal mouth and the relief feature when a first force on the one or more first relief features is below a first threshold and (ii) rotate away from the longitudinal axis to release the captured portion of the clot material when the first force equals or exceeds the first threshold; and
a second relief feature distal to the first relief feature and configured to (i) retain the captured portion of the clot material after its release when a second force on the second relief feature is below a second threshold and (ii) release the captured portion of the clot material when the second force equals or exceeds the second threshold.
48 . The clot treatment device of claim 47 wherein the second relief feature includes a portion of the unitary structure that tapers inwardly toward the longitudinal axis.
49 . The clot treatment device of claim 47 wherein the second relief feature includes a collar and a fuse, wherein the collar is coupled to one of the plurality of interconnected struts via the fuse to retain the captured portion of the clot material proximal to the second relief feature, and wherein, when the second force equals or exceeds the second threshold, the fuse is configured to break to allow the second relief feature to release the captured portion of the clot material.
50 . The clot treatment device of claim 47 wherein the first relief feature is one of a plurality of first relief features, wherein the plurality of first relief features are positioned at substantially a same axial position relative to the longitudinal axis, wherein the plurality of first relief features are substantially equally positioned circumferentially about the longitudinal axis, and wherein each of the plurality of first relief features has a V-shape.