Flexible-agitator system

A rotary flexible agitator system (10) for removing an obstruction from within a patient's vessel that is comprised of a tubular housing (11) with suction (15) connected to its proximal end, and a motor driven rotary flexible agitator shaft (18) with a distal agitator (19) disposed in the housing (11) where the distal agitator (19) extends out of the open distal end of the housing (11). The distalagitator (19) is adapted to break the obstruction in t he vessel to pieces while the suction draws the pieces into the housing, where the relative motion between the flexible agitator (18), and the housing (11) reduces the longitudinal frictional forces between the pieces, the rotary flexible agitator shaft (18), and the tubular housing (11); and where the relative motion between the rotary flexible agitator shaft (18), and the tubular housing (11) further breaks the pieces as they pass through the tubular housing (11).