Debulking Catheters And Methods

Abstract

A debulking catheter comprising a tissue debulking assembly for removing a continuous strand of material from a body lumen. Catheters of the present invention generally include a catheter body having proximal and distal portions and a tissue debulking assembly disposed at least partially within the distal portion. The tissue debulking assembly is radially movable to expose at least a portion of the assembly through a window on the catheter body. The catheter is advanced transluminally through the body lumen to contact material in the body lumen and remove a plane of continuous material that has a length that is typically longer than a length of the window on the catheter. The continuous material may be directed into a collection chamber. Thereafter, the material may be removed from the collection chamber and preserved or tested.

1 - 45 . (canceled) 
     
     
         46 . A library comprising a plurality of samples derived from excised vascular tissue, wherein each sample of excised vascular tissue comprises at least one continuous strand of tissue that is removed from a vascular lumen in a human body, wherein the continuous strand is at least 2 cm in length (along the axis of the vascular lumen), wherein the plurality of samples are selected from the group consisting of DNA, RNA, cDNA, and protein. 
     
     
         47 . The library of  claim 46  wherein clinical information regarding patients from whom the samples were excised is maintained with the library. 
     
     
         48 . The library of  claim 46  wherein the samples are DNA. 
     
     
         49 . The library of  claim 46  wherein the samples are cDNA. 
     
     
         50 . The library of  claim 46  wherein the samples are RNA. 
     
     
         51 . The library of  claim 46  wherein the samples are protein.