Material Capturing Guidewire

Abstract

This disclosure discusses various methods and devices for capturing plaque that is to be removed from a blood vessel after the plaque has been separated from the blood vessel or remaining plaque.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A guidewire for insertion into a blood vessel, the guidewire comprising:
 an elongated member; and   a means for attaching plaque within a blood vessel to the elongated member.   
     
     
         2 . The guidewire of  claim 1 , wherein the means for attaching plaque within a blood vessel to the elongated member comprises a plurality of protrusions extending radially from the elongated member. 
     
     
         3 . The guidewire of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the plurality of protrusions extends toward a proximal end of the elongated member. 
     
     
         4 . The guidewire of  claim 2 , wherein the protrusions are tines. 
     
     
         5 . The guidewire of  claim 2 , wherein the protrusions are barbs. 
     
     
         6 . The guidewire of  claim 1 , wherein the means for attaching plaque within a blood vessel to the elongated member comprises at least one flute within the guidewire. 
     
     
         7 . The guidewire of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one flute has a helical shape. 
     
     
         8 . The guidewire of  claim 1 , wherein the means for attaching plaque within a blood vessel to the elongated member comprises a plurality of notches within the elongated member. 
     
     
         9 . The guidewire of  claim 1 , wherein the means for attaching plaque within a blood vessel to the elongated member comprises an expandable braided element. 
     
     
         10 . A method of removing plaque within a blood vessel, the method comprising the steps of:
 inserting a guidewire into a blood vessel;   attaching plaque within the blood vessel to a portion of the guidewire;   inserting a catheter into the blood vessel over the guidewire;   separating at least a portion of the plaque from the blood vessel using the catheter; and   concurrently removing, from the blood vessel, the guidewire and the plaque attached to the guidewire.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of removing the catheter from the blood vessel. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the guidewire and the plaque attached to the guidewire are removed from the blood vessel prior to removing the catheter from the blood vessel. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the guidewire and the plaque attached to the guidewire are removed from the blood vessel concurrently with removing the catheter from the blood vessel. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the guidewire and the plaque attached to the guidewire are removed from the blood vessel after removing the catheter from the blood vessel. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the catheter comprises a blade for cutting the portion of the plaque from the blood vessel. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the catheter comprises a plurality of laser emitters for ablating the portion of the plaque from the blood vessel. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the guidewire comprises a plurality of protrusions extending radially therefrom. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the protrusions are tines. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the protrusions are barbs. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the guidewire comprises at least one helically shaped flute. 
     
     
         21 . A method of removing plaque within a blood vessel, the method comprising the steps of:
 inserting a catheter into the blood vessel;   separating at least a portion of the plaque from the blood vessel using the catheter;   inserting a guidewire into a blood vessel;   attaching the portion of the plaque within the blood vessel to a portion of the guidewire; and   concurrently removing, from the blood vessel, the guidewire and the plaque attached to the guidewire.   
     
     
         22 . A guidewire for insertion into a blood vessel comprising:
 an elongated member; and   a roughened surface on the elongated member configured to attach plaque within a blood vessel to the elongated member.   
     
     
         23 . The guidewire of  claim 22 , wherein the roughened surface comprises a plurality of protrusions extending radially from the elongated member. 
     
     
         24 . The guidewire of  claim 23 , wherein at least one of the plurality of protrusions extends toward a proximal end of the elongated member. 
     
     
         25 . The guidewire of  claim 23 , wherein the protrusions are tines. 
     
     
         26 . The guidewire of  claim 23 , wherein the protrusions are barbs. 
     
     
         27 . The guidewire of  claim 22 , wherein the roughened surface comprises at least one flute within the guidewire. 
     
     
         28 . The guidewire of  claim 27 , wherein the at least one flute has a helical shape. 
     
     
         29 . The guidewire of  claim 22 , wherein the roughened surface comprises a plurality of notches within the elongated member. 
     
     
         30 . The guidewire of  claim 22 , wherein the roughened surface comprises an expandable braided element. 
     
     
         31 . The guidewire of  claim 22 , further comprising an unroughened surface on the elongated member having a degree of roughness less than that of the roughened surface and wherein the unroughened surface is at a proximal portion of the guidewire and the roughened surface is at a distal portion of the guidewire.