EMBOLIZATION PROTECTION SYSTEM FOR VASCULAR PROCEDURES

摘要

Apparatus and methods are described for effective removal of emboli or harmf ul fluids during vascular procedures, such as angiography, balloon angioplasty, stent deployment, laser angioplasty, atherectomy, intravascular ultrasonography and other therapeutic and diagnostic procedures. A catheter (102) with an occluder (114) mounted at its distal end (106) creates an occlusion proximal to the lesion. The catheter (102) provides a pathway for introducing a treatment catheter. Prior to, during or subsequent to the procedure, suction is activated to establish retrograde flow to remove embol i from the site. Additionally, a thin catheter (120) with a distal fluid ejection nozzle may be introduced distal to the treatment site to rinse embo li from the treatment site. The suction flow and/or ejected fluid flow may be varied in a pulsatile manner to simulate regular blood flow and/or perturb settled emboli into being captured. The method establishes a protective environment before any devices enter the site to be treated.