Miniature flexible thrombectomy catheter

Abstract

The present invention pertains to a miniature flexible thrombectomy catheter having one or more flexible miniature noncollapsing tubular portions including pushable and torqueable structure for introduction into the smaller vessels in neurovascular regions. A jet body having an arcuate fluid jet emanator is incorporated in order to minimize size at the distal portion of a minimally sized catheter tube.

1 . A jet body for a catheter device, wherein the jet body comprises at least three components formed of at least two dissimilar metals, the at least three components comprising a plurality of metal tubular sections and a metal fluid jet emanator, wherein at least one of the metal tubular sections has a metallic plating applied and is welded to at least one other component of dissimilar metal so that the applied metallic plating provides a barrier to inhibit mixing of the dissimilar metals during welding. 
     
     
         2 . The jet body of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two dissimilar metals comprise stainless steel and nitinol. 
     
     
         3 . The jet body of  claim 1 , wherein the metallic plating comprises gold. 
     
     
         4 . The jet body of  claim 2 , wherein the fluid jet emanator comprises stainless steel, and at least a portion of the stainless steel of the fluid jet emanator is plated with gold and welded to a nitinol tubular section. 
     
     
         5 . The jet body of  claim 4 , wherein the fluid jet emanator comprises stainless steel tubing. 
     
     
         6 . The jet body of  claim 5 , wherein the fluid jet emanator comprises a semi-loop. 
     
     
         7 . The jet body of  claim 1 , wherein the at least three components are joined to form a high strength elongated tubular assembly for passage of high pressure fluid along the length thereof to supply the high pressure fluid to the fluid jet emanator. 
     
     
         8 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method of fabricating a high strength metallic structure for passage of high pressure fluid comprising the steps of:
 a. providing a first metallic component and a second metallic component of dissimilar metals, each having a passage for high pressure fluid;   b. applying a metallic plating to at least a portion of at least the first metallic components;   c. aligning the passage of the first metallic component and the passage of the second metallic component so that when the first metallic component and the second metallic component are joined, the passages will provide a continuous passage for high pressure fluid; and,   d. joining the first metallic component to the second metallic component so that the applied metallic plating provides a barrier to inhibit mixing of the dissimilar metals.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first metallic component comprises stainless steel and the second metallic component comprises nitinol. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first metallic component comprises a fluid jet emanator and the second metallic component comprises a metallic tube. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the steps of:
 a. providing at least one additional metallic component having a passage for high pressure fluid;   b. aligning the passage of the at least one additional metallic component and the second metallic component so that when joined, the passage of the first metallic component and the passage of the second metallic component and the passage of the at least one additional metallic component will provide a continuous passage for high pressure fluid; and,   c. joining the second metallic component and the at least one additional metallic component.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the first metallic component comprises a fluid jet emanator and the second metallic component comprises a metallic tube and at least one of the at least one additional metallic component is a metallic tube. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first metallic component comprises stainless steel and the second metallic component comprises nitinol and at least one of the at least one additional metallic component comprises stainless steel. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the plating comprises gold. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first component comprises a fluid jet emanator and the first component comprises stainless steel, and the second component comprises a nitinol tube, and the plating comprises gold, and the step of joining comprises welding. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the welding comprises laser welding. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of joining comprises a thermal swaging process. 
     
     
         26 . A jet body comprising a fluid jet emanator with a downstream termination in the form of a semi-loop which forms an arc which is less than approximately half of the circumference of the catheter. 
     
     
         27 . A jet body comprising successive flexible sections made from stainless steel, nitinol, and stainless steel, joined together.