Importance

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Abstract

A minimally invasive medical device comprises a tubular member with a large-diameter distal end portion and a smaller-diameter proximal portion. A clot-intake port is disposed in the distal end portion of the tubular member, while a cutter element is movably disposed in the distal end portion for severing material sucked in through the intake port and for temporarily closing the intake port during an extraction of the severed material from the device. A hollow drive rod extends through the tubular member to the cutter element for shifting the cutter element, while an outlet port is disposed in the tubular member proximally of the intake port and distally of the proximal portion of the tubular member. The tubular member extends through a catheter so that the intake port is disposed outside the catheter and the outlet port is disposed inside the catheter. The maximum transverse dimension of the proximal portion of the tubular member is substantially narrower than the lumen of the catheter, thereby providing flexibility to the combination of catheter and tubular drive element. A wire valve in the distal end portion of the tubular member is closed to block irrigation fluid from leaving an irrigation outlet in the drive rod while a mass is sucked into the tubular member through the intake port and is opened to permit flow of fluid when a severed mass is being sucked in a proximal direction through the catheter. A balloon at the distal end of the tubular member is inflated via irrigation fluid regulated by a valve operated according to the position of the cutter element.

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First Claim