Appeal No. 2000-0323 Page 14
Application No. 08/608,920
fluoroscopic guidance to vessels downstream, so that
occlusions 121 further downstream may be similarly removed.
If the thrombolytic agent does not break the occlusion 120
into sufficiently small pieces for immediate aspiration
through the catheter 22, the guidewire 24 in the catheter
assembly 12 is used to manually pulverize the occlusion 120 or
its residual pieces 126 into particles small enough to be
aspirated, as shown in Figures 4 and 5. The catheter assembly
12 may first be disconnected from the manifold 14 prior to
performing this procedure. If the guidewire 24 has been
removed during an earlier part of the procedure, it may be
reintroduced into the catheter 22 so that pulverization of the
occlusion 120 may be performed. When the residue 126 has been
pulverized into particles small enough to pass through the
catheter 22, the plunger 52 of the syringe 18 is drawn
backwards, drawing the residue 126 of the occlusion 120 into
the syringe 18. When contrast radiographic inspection
indicates that there is no evidence of any remaining residual
occlusions 126, the catheter 22 is removed.
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