A device arranged to sustain and/or provide at least partial patency of a small blood vessel exhibiting an occlusion, the device constituted of a tubular body expandable from a first small diameter state for manipulation to, and through, the occlusion of the small blood vessel and a second large diameter state, the inner dimensions of the second large diameter state being no more than 50% of the diameter of the small blood vessel at the occlusion location, the device presenting a conduit for blood flow through the occlusion when in the large diameter state. In one embodiment the small blood vessel is an intracranial blood vessel.