Accessory devices for use with catheters

Abstract

An accessory device may be used in combination with a thrombectomy catheter. The accessory device may be configured to deflect a distal portion of the thrombectomy catheter and/or disrupt a lesion in a vessel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of treating thrombus in a bold vessel, the method comprising:
 advancing a thrombectomy catheter through a blood vessel to a target location, the thrombectomy catheter comprising: 
 a catheter body extending from a proximal portion to a distal portion and including a catheter lumen extending between the proximal portion and the distal portion; and 
 a thrombus disrupting member disposed within the catheter lumen, the thrombus disrupting member comprising an elongated member having a proximal portion and a distal portion and an expandable cage; 
   distally advancing the thrombus disrupting member into a thrombus;   actuating the thrombus disrupting member to aid in the disruption of the thrombus; and   drawing portions of the thrombus into the thrombectomy catheter.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein distally advancing the thrombus disrupting member comprises advancing the thrombus disrupting member distally beyond a distal end of the catheter body. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein actuating the thrombus disrupting member comprises repeatedly distally advancing and proximally retracting the thrombus disrupting member. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein actuating the thrombus disrupting member comprises proximally retracting the expandable cage. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the expandable cage is self-expanding. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the thrombus disrupting member further comprises an actuation mechanism, the actuation mechanism configured to move the expandable cage between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the expandable cage comprises a plurality of woven filaments. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein proximal retraction of the elongated member is configured to expand the expandable cage. 
     
     
         9 . A method of treating thrombus in a blood vessel, the method comprising:
 advancing a thrombectomy catheter through a blood vessel to a target location, the thrombectomy catheter comprising: 
 a catheter body extending from a proximal portion to a distal portion and including a catheter lumen extending between the proximal portion and the distal portion; and 
 a thrombus disrupting member disposed within the catheter lumen, the thrombus disrupting member comprising an elongated member having a proximal portion and a distal portion and an expandable cage comprising a plurality of woven filaments and configured to move between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration; 
   distally advancing the thrombus disrupting member into a thrombus adjacent to the target location;   expanding the expandable cage; and   actuating the thrombus disrupting member to aid in the disruption of the thrombus.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein distally advancing the thrombus disrupting member comprises advancing the thrombus disrupting member distally beyond a distal end of the catheter body. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein actuating the thrombus disrupting member comprises repeatedly distally advancing and proximally retracting the thrombus disrupting member. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein actuating the thrombus disrupting member comprises proximally retracting the expandable cage. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the thrombus disrupting member further comprises an actuation mechanism, the actuation mechanism configured to move the expandable cage between the collapsed configuration and the expanded configuration. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein proximal retraction of the elongated member is configured to move the expandable cage into the expanded configuration. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein a cross-sectional diameter of the expandable cage in the expanded configuration is larger than a cross-sectional diameter of the expandable cage in the collapsed configuration. 
     
     
         16 . A thrombectomy catheter, comprising: 
 a catheter body extending from a proximal portion to a distal portion and including a catheter lumen extending between the proximal portion and the distal portion; and   a thrombus disruption member disposed within the catheter lumen, the thrombus disruption member comprising: 
 an elongated member having a proximal portion and a distal portion; 
 an expandable cage configured to move between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration; 
 an actuation mechanism configured to move the expandable cage between the collapsed configuration and the expanded configuration. 
   
     
     
         17 . The thrombectomy catheter of  claim 16 , wherein the expandable cage comprises a plurality of woven filaments. 
     
     
         18 . The thrombectomy catheter of  claim 16 , wherein the expandable cage comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending struts. 
     
     
         19 . The thrombectomy catheter of  claim 18 , wherein each strut of the plurality of longitudinally extending struts comprises a plurality of strands. 
     
     
         20 . The thrombectomy catheter of  claim 16 , wherein the thrombus disruption member is slidably and/or rotationally disposed within the catheter lumen.