Provided is an aspiration catheter which does not require a large-scale
device, has a largest possible aspiration lumen, and is sufficiently
flexible to track tortuous blood vessels following a guidewire, thereby
being easily advanced to a target site to be treated.In the aspiration
catheter, the tip of the main shaft is obliquely cut, the distal end of
the guidewire shaft is positioned at the distal end of the main shaft or
protrudes from the distal end of the main shaft in the distal direction,
and the relationships 0.5.ltoreq.L2/L1 and L2-L1.ltoreq.5 mm are
satisfied, wherein L1 is the length of the obliquely cut portion of the
main shaft in the longitudinal direction of the catheter, and L2 is the
length from the proximal end of the guidewire shaft to the distal end of
the main shaft.