US Patent 12076504 Aspiration catheters with expandable distal tip

An aspiration catheter includes a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an aspiration lumen therebetween. A distal segment comprising an expandable distal tip of the aspiration catheter comprises a membrane and an expandable supporting structure, such as a scaffold, configured to radially expand the expandable distal tip. The expandable supporting structure may include supporting elements and other features which increase resistance to collapse of the expandable membrane under vacuum or negative pressure applied to aspirate clot through the aspiration lumen in the expanded configuration.