Importance

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Abstract

A medical device especially adapted to remove biological material (e.g., fibrin sheath) from the distal end of a patient-internal catheter includes a tubular element, a central wire positioned within the tubular element and a snare wire attached at one end to the central wire so as to form an acute angle therewith, and at its other end to the tubular member. The snare wire includes a proximally extending segment which follows a course of about 360.degree. about the distal end of the tubular member, and thus may be positioned adjacent the catheter's distal end. By effecting relative rotation between the central wire and the tubular member (for example, by rotating the central wire about its longitudinal axis while maintaining the tubular member stationary) will cause the snare wire segment to wrap around the catheter's distal end. Thereafter, manipulation of the device so as to advance the wrapped snare wire segment in a distal direction will strip the biological material from the distal end of the catheter.

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First Claim