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Abstract

A catheter atherotome and method for its use for performing partial atherectomy in an artery and blood flow through the artery. Several blades are mounted at a distal end of a catheter, in a helical basket configuration and spaced angularly apart from one another about the associated ends of two concentric sheaths in such a way that longitudinal and rotary relative movement of the sheaths selectively bows the blades arcuately outwardly into a cutting position or draws the blades flat into alignment with the sheaths. The blades have sharpened cutting edges extending helically and directed toward the cathether's proximal end when the blades are bowed. Partial removal of an atheroma is effected by manually pulling the basket knife past an atheroma with the basket blades in their outwardly bowed cutting positions, with the speed, force, and amount of expansion of the blades determined by the operator. Removal of cut-away pieces of atherosclerotic plaque material is accomplished either by pull-back of a balloon embolectomy catheter or by use of a latex membrane enshrouding the spiral wire blades to trap the shavings within the membrane.

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First Claim