W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.

Medtronic Vascular, Inc.

Dh Perkins

Kevin M Mauch

Dustin Thompson

Christopher W Storment

Sherif A Eskaros

Matthew J Birdsall

Michele Lee Silver

Eric Gerard Johnson

George N Foutrakis

Jeeremy Johnson

The present invention is a catheter device that includes a disruptable guidewire channel. The guidewire channel is configured to provide necessary trackability of the catheter along the guidewire during introduction of the catheter to a treatment site. Once treatment is completed, the guidewire channel can then be disrupted so as to free the guidewire from the catheter in situ. The apparatus of the present invention provides distinct advantages over existing over-the-wire and rapid exchange catheter introduction methods, including the ability to achieve much faster treatment implement exchanges, the ability to rapidly deliver multiple treatment implements in series, and the ability to maintain multiple treatment implements simultaneously at a treatment site using a single guidewire.

Catheter with disruptable guidewire channel

An obstruction removal system for percutaneous removal of clots or obstructions within the vascular system is disclosed. The obstruction removal system includes a multi-lumen catheter with a plurality of circulating capture devices occurring along a drive belt. The plurality of capture devices may be basket-like devices attached to the drive belt, or may be formed by integral coiled or protuberant sections of the drive belt. The circulating capture or interference devices affect removal of the clot or obstruction bit-by-bit through a series of passes.

Obstruction removal system

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Santa Rosa, CA, United States of America

Dh Perkins