Assistive jet aspiration thrombectomy catheter and method of using same

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein relate to an aspiration catheter comprising a catheter body that can have a first end and a second end and an aspiration lumen extending through the catheter body. The aspiration lumen can have an aspiration opening located in a distal portion of the aspiration catheter. The catheter can have an assistive jet element extending through a wall of the aspiration lumen. The assistive jet element can have an assistive jet channel. The assistive jet element can be adaptable to draw blood through the assistive jet element from a location outside of the catheter body adjacent to the assistive jet element and into the aspiration lumen when suction is applied to the aspiration lumen and can be configured to break apart a thrombus or obstruction in the aspiration lumen.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An assistive jet aspiration catheter comprising:
 a catheter body having a distal end, a proximal end, and an outer wall;   an aspiration lumen extending through the catheter body along an axial length of the catheter body from the distal end of the catheter body to the proximal end of the catheter body;   a distal tip positioned at the distal end of the catheter body, the distal tip having an aspiration opening in communication with the aspiration lumen; and   an assistive jet element comprising an assistive jet inlet opening extending through the outer wall in the catheter body and in communication with the aspiration lumen;   wherein the assistive jet element is adaptable to draw fluid through the assistive jet inlet opening from a location outside of the aspiration lumen and to direct an assistive jet flow of the fluid toward a blockage in the aspiration lumen distal to the assistive jet inlet opening when suction is applied to the aspiration lumen and when the aspiration lumen is partially or fully blocked by the blockage distal to the assistive jet opening.   
     
     
         2 . The aspiration catheter of  claim 1 , wherein an axial centerline of the assistive jet inlet opening is positioned from approximately 2 mm to approximately 10 mm from a proximal edge of the aspiration opening, in a proximal direction. 
     
     
         3 . The aspiration catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the assistive jet element is sized and configured to draw less than approximately 20% by volume of the total flow aspirated through the aspiration lumen when a flow through the aspiration window is not substantially impeded by blockage. 
     
     
         4 . The aspiration catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the assistive jet element comprises a channel in communication with the assistive jet inlet opening, the channel providing an enclosed lumen extending from the assistive jet inlet opening to an assistive jet outlet opening at a distal end of the enclosed lumen. 
     
     
         5 . The aspiration catheter of  claim 4 , wherein an axial centerline of the assistive jet inlet opening is positioned between approximately 5 mm and approximately 50 mm from a proximal edge of the aspiration opening. 
     
     
         6 . The aspiration catheter of  claim 4 , wherein the assistive jet outlet opening is positioned between approximately 5 mm distal to a proximal edge of the aspiration opening to approximately 5 mm proximal to the proximal edge of the aspiration opening 
     
     
         7 . The aspiration catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the catheter body comprises a guidewire lumen extending at least from the distal end of the catheter body along a portion of a length of the catheter body. 
     
     
         8 . The aspiration catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the aspiration opening is angled in a lengthwise direction of the catheter body. 
     
     
         9 . The aspiration catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the aspiration catheter is a 3 French, 4 French, or 5 French sized catheter, and the assistive jet inlet opening has a cross-sectional size or area that is from approximately 20% to approximately 50% of a cross-sectional size or area of the aspiration lumen. 
     
     
         10 . The aspiration catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the aspiration catheter is a 6 French or larger sized catheter, and the assistive jet inlet opening has a cross-sectional size that is from approximately 10% to approximately 40% of a cross-sectional area of the aspiration lumen. 
     
     
         11 . An aspiration kit, comprising the aspiration catheter of  claim 1  and a syringe, the syringe being in communication with the aspiration lumen and providing a source of suction to the aspiration lumen. 
     
     
         12 . An assistive jet aspiration catheter comprising:
 a catheter body having a distal end, a proximal end, and an outer wall;   an aspiration lumen extending through the catheter body along an axial length of the catheter body from the distal end of the catheter body to the proximal end of the catheter body;   a distal tip positioned at the distal end of the catheter body, the distal tip having an aspiration opening in communication with the aspiration lumen; and   an assistive jet inlet opening extending through the outer wall in the catheter body and in communication with an assistive jet channel positioned inside the aspiration lumen, the assistive jet channel extending distally from the assistive jet inlet opening to an assistive jet outlet opening;   wherein:
 when the aspiration lumen is partially or fully blocked by a thrombus or other mass in the aspiration lumen distal to the assistive jet outlet opening and when suction is applied to a proximal end of the aspiration lumen, the assistive jet aspiration catheter is configured to draw a fluid through the assistive jet inlet opening from a location outside of the aspiration lumen and direct an assistive jet flow of the fluid through the assistive jet channel and toward the blockage in the aspiration lumen; and 
 the assistive jet aspiration catheter is configured such that such flow of fluid through the assistive jet channel will erode or break apart the thrombus or other mass that is blocking the aspiration lumen. 
   
     
     
         13 . The aspiration catheter of  claim 12 , wherein the assistive jet element is sized and configured to draw less than 20% by volume of the total flow aspirated through the aspiration lumen when the aspiration window is not blocked. 
     
     
         14 . The aspiration catheter of  claim 12 , wherein the assistive jet outlet opening is positioned between approximately 5 mm distal to a proximal edge of the aspiration opening to approximately 10 mm proximal to the proximal edge of the aspiration opening. 
     
     
         15 . The aspiration catheter of  claim 12 , wherein the aspiration opening is angled in a lengthwise direction of the catheter body. 
     
     
         16 . An aspiration kit, comprising the aspiration catheter of  claim 12  and a syringe, the syringe being in communication with the aspiration lumen and providing a source of suction to the aspiration lumen. 
     
     
         17 . An aspiration catheter comprising:
 an inner catheter body having a distal end, a proximal end, and an outer wall having an inside surface and an outside surface;   an outer catheter body having a distal end, a proximal end, and an outer wall having an inside surface and an outside surface, the outer catheter body being configured to slidably receive the inner catheter body therein such that the outside surface of the outer wall of the inner catheter body is positioned adjacent to the inside surface of the outer wall of the outer catheter body;   an aspiration lumen extending through the inner catheter body along an axial length of the inner catheter body from the distal end of the inner catheter body to the proximal end of the inner catheter body;   a distal tip positioned at the distal end of the catheter body, the distal tip having an aspiration opening in communication with the aspiration lumen, wherein:
 the aspiration catheter has an inner opening extending through the outer wall of the inner catheter and an outer opening extending through the outer wall of the outer catheter; 
 the inner catheter body is movable relative to the outer catheter body between at least a first position in which the inner and outer openings are at least substantially in alignment with one another and a second position in which the inner and outer openings are out of alignment with one another such that the inner opening of the inner catheter is at least substantially covered by the outer wall of the outer catheter; 
 when the inner catheter body is in the first position, when suction is applied to the catheter, and when a portion of the aspiration lumen distal to the inner opening in the inner catheter body is at least partially obstructed by an obstruction, the catheter will draw a flow of fluid from outside of the outer catheter body through the inner and outer openings and into the aspiration lumen; and 
 the aspiration catheter is configured such that such flow of fluid will assist in the removal of the obstruction. 
   
     
     
         18 . The aspiration catheter of  claim 17 , wherein the assistive jet element comprises a channel in communication with the inner opening in the inner catheter, the channel providing an enclosed lumen extending from the inner opening to an assistive jet outlet opening at a distal end of the enclosed lumen. 
     
     
         19 . The aspiration catheter of  claim 17 , wherein the aspiration catheter is a 3 French, 4 French, or 5 French sized catheter, and the inner opening has a cross-sectional area that is from approximately 20% to approximately 50% of a cross-sectional area of the aspiration lumen. 
     
     
         20 . The aspiration catheter of  claim 17 , wherein the aspiration catheter is a 6 French or larger sized catheter, and the inner opening has a cross-sectional area that is from approximately 10% to approximately 40% of a cross-sectional area of the aspiration lumen.