ASPIRATION CATHETER SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF USE
Described are methods, systems, devices for facilitation of intraluminal medical procedures within the neurovasculature. A catheter advancement device includes a flexible elongate body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a single lumen extending therebetween. The flexible elongate body has a proximal segment, an intermediate segment, and a tip segment. The proximal segment includes a hypotube coated with a polymer. The intermediate segment includes an unreinforced polymer having a durometer of no more than 72 D. The tip segment is formed of a polymer different from the intermediate segment and has a durometer of no more than about 35 D and a length of at least 5 cm. The tip segment has a tapered portion that tapers distally from a first outer diameter to a second outer diameter over a length of between 1 and 3 cm.
1 . A catheter advancement device for use within an intracranial vessel, the catheter
advancement device comprising:
an elongate body having a single lumen extending from a proximal opening at a proximal end of the elongate body to a distal opening at a distal end of the elongate body, the single lumen is no more than 0.024″ inner diameter and is sized to accommodate a guidewire and,
wherein a distal end region of the elongate body comprises a wall segment defining a polymeric tapered distal tip that is devoid of metal reinforcement within the wall segment, wherein a radiopaque marker is located within the wall segment to identify a proximal region of the tapered distal tip, and wherein the tapered distal tip tapers over a length that is about 1 cm-3 cm,
wherein the catheter advancement device has a working length between the proximal opening and the distal opening sufficient to position the distal opening distal to a petrous portion of an internal carotid artery from a peripheral artery access site while the proximal opening is outside of a patient's body, and
wherein the distal end region of the elongate body has a flexibility capable of atraumatic navigation to an intracranial vessel and wherein a proximal end region of the elongate body has a stiffness capable of advancing the distal end region distal to a petrous portion of an internal carotid artery.
2 . The catheter advancement device of claim 1 , wherein the radiopaque marker comprises radiopaque material embedded in or disposed on a portion of the distal end region.
3 . The catheter advancement device of claim 1 , wherein the radiopaque marker comprises extruded polymer loaded with radiopaque material.
4 . The catheter advancement device of claim 1 , further comprising a second radiopaque marker positioned to identify the distal end of the elongate body.
5 . The catheter advancement device of claim 1 , wherein the tapered distal tip tapers distally from a first outer diameter to a second outer diameter that is smaller than the first outer diameter.
6 . The catheter advancement device of claim 5 , wherein the first outer diameter is 0.048″ (1.22 mm)-0.080″ (2.03 mm).
7 . The catheter advancement device of claim 5 , wherein the first outer diameter is designed to be about 0.003″-0.010″ smaller than an inner diameter of a catheter being advanced using the catheter advancement device.
8 . The catheter advancement device of claim 5 , wherein the second outer diameter is about 40% of the first outer diameter or at most about 65% of the first outer diameter.
9 . The catheter advancement device of claim 1 , wherein a taper angle of a wall of the tapered distal tip relative to a center line of the tapered distal tip is between 0.9 to 1.6 degrees.
10 . The catheter advancement device of claim 1 , wherein the inner diameter of the single lumen is constant from the proximal opening of the elongate body to the distal opening of the elongate body.
11 . The catheter advancement device of claim 1 , wherein the peripheral artery is one of a femoral artery, a radial artery, an ulnar artery, or a brachial artery of an arm.
12 . The catheter advancement device of claim 1 , further comprising a proximal hub for connecting an interior of the proximal hub to the single lumen of the elongate body.
13 . The catheter advancement device of claim 1 , wherein the wall segment is a first wall segment having a first durometer, the first wall segment located distal to a second wall segment having a second durometer, wherein the first durometer is less than the second durometer.
14 . The catheter advancement device of claim 13 , wherein the first wall segment is formed of a first polymer, wherein the second wall segment is formed of a second polymer, and wherein the first polymer of the first wall segment is different from the second polymer of the second wall segment.
15 . The catheter advancement device of claim 14 , wherein the first polymer and the second polymer comprise PEBAX.
16 . The catheter advancement device of claim 1 , wherein the tapered distal tip tapers over a length that is about 1.5 cm-3 cm.
17 . An intravascular catheter advancement device for advancing a catheter within a neurovasculature, the catheter advancement device comprising:
a flexible elongate body that is non-expandable, has a proximal end, a distal end, and no more than one lumen extending therebetween, an inner diameter of the lumen being less than 0.024 inches and capable of accommodating a guidewire the flexible elongate body comprising:
a proximal segment;
an intermediate segment comprising a first polymer having a first durometer; and
a tip segment that is formed of a second polymer different from the first polymer of the intermediate segment and has a second durometer that is less than the first durometer, wherein the tip segment has a tapered portion that tapers distally from a first outer diameter to a second outer diameter over a length that is about 1 cm-3 cm, the first outer diameter being about 0.048″ (1.22 mm)-0.080″ (2.03 mm); and
a lubricious material extending along at least a length of the flexible elongate body; and
a proximal hub for connecting an interior of the proximal hub to the lumen of the flexible elongate body,
wherein the catheter advancement device has a working length sufficient to extend from outside a patient's body, through an access site in a peripheral artery, and to a petrous portion of an internal carotid artery.
18 . The catheter advancement device of claim 17 , wherein the tip segment comprises a radiopaque marker positioned to identify a proximal region of the tapered portion.
19 . The catheter advancement device of claim 18 , further comprising a second radiopaque marker positioned to identify the distal end of the flexible elongate body.
20 . The catheter advancement device of claim 17 , wherein the first outer diameter is 0.062″ (1.57 mm)-0.080″ (2.03 mm).
21 . The catheter advancement device of claim 17 , wherein the first outer diameter is designed to be about 0.003″-0.010″ smaller than an inner diameter of a catheter being advanced using the catheter advancement device.
22 . The catheter advancement device of claim 17 , wherein the second outer diameter is about 40% of the first outer diameter or at most about 65% of the first outer diameter.
23 . The catheter advancement device of claim 17 , wherein the inner diameter of the lumen is constant from the proximal end of the flexible elongate body to the distal end of the flexible elongate body.
24 . The catheter advancement device of claim 17 , wherein the peripheral artery is one of a femoral artery, a radial artery, an ulnar artery, or a brachial artery of an arm.
25 . The catheter advancement device of claim 17 , wherein the lubricious material comprises polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).
26 . The catheter advancement device of claim 17 , wherein the working length is sufficient to position a distal opening at the distal end of the flexible elongate body distal to a petrous portion of an internal carotid artery from the access site while a proximal opening into the lumen is positioned outside the patient's body.
27 . The catheter advancement device of claim 17 , wherein the tip segment of the flexible elongate body has a flexibility capable of atraumatic navigation to an intracranial vessel and wherein the proximal segment of the flexible elongate body has a stiffness capable of advancing the tip segment distal to the petrous portion of the internal carotid artery.
28 . The catheter advancement device of claim 17 , wherein the proximal segment incorporates a reinforcement layer, wherein the reinforcement layer is a metallic or nonmetallic material.
29 . The catheter advancement device of claim 17 , wherein the intermediate segment is unreinforced.
30 . The catheter advancement device of claim 17 , wherein the length the tapered portion tapers is about 1.5 cm-3 cm.