Apparatus and methods for capturing particulate material within blood vessels
First Claim
1. An apparatus for capturing particulate within a body lumen, comprising:
- a tubular member comprising an inlet and an outlet, the tubular member having a cross-section substantially smaller than a cross-section of a body lumen such that the tubular member may be introduced into a body lumen generally parallel to a natural direction of fluid flow within the body lumen such that the outlet is oriented downstream of the inlet within the body lumen;
a nozzle disposed within the tubular member and oriented to inject fluid towards the outlet for generating a vacuum at the inlet; and
a filter element on the inlet, the filter element comprising a plurality of openings having a predetermined maximum size for preventing particulate larger than the maximum size from entering the inlet of the tubular member.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus includes a jet housing including an inlet and an outlet, and a nozzle within the jet housing for injecting fluid towards the outlet. A filter element is disposed on the inlet, the filter element including openings for preventing particulate larger than a predetermined size from entering the inlet. The jet housing is positioned within a blood vessel, and fluid is injected from the nozzle towards the outlet to create a vacuum at the inlet, thereby causing fluid downstream of the outlet to flow retrograde through the vessel around the jet housing into the inlet. The filter element prevents particulate from entering the inlet, thereby effectively capturing the particulate, which may be aspirated. Alternatively, a filter element is used to filter particulate during a procedure. The filter element everts from a tubular to an everted configuration for capturing particulate.
222 Citations
46 Claims
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1. An apparatus for capturing particulate within a body lumen, comprising:
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a tubular member comprising an inlet and an outlet, the tubular member having a cross-section substantially smaller than a cross-section of a body lumen such that the tubular member may be introduced into a body lumen generally parallel to a natural direction of fluid flow within the body lumen such that the outlet is oriented downstream of the inlet within the body lumen;
a nozzle disposed within the tubular member and oriented to inject fluid towards the outlet for generating a vacuum at the inlet; and
a filter element on the inlet, the filter element comprising a plurality of openings having a predetermined maximum size for preventing particulate larger than the maximum size from entering the inlet of the tubular member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for capturing particulate within a body lumen of a patient, the method comprising:
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positioning a tubular member within a body lumen, the tubular member comprising an inlet and an outlet, the inlet being located upstream of the outlet within the body lumen;
injecting a jet of fluid from within the tubular member towards the outlet, the jet creating a vacuum at the inlet, the vacuum being sufficient to cause fluid downstream of the outlet to flow retrograde through the body lumen around at least a portion of the tubular member into the inlet; and
providing a filter element on the inlet, the filter element comprising a plurality of openings having a predetermined maximum size for preventing particulate larger than the maximum size from entering the inlet, thereby capturing the particulate at a location upstream of the outlet of the tubular member. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus for capturing particulate within a body lumen of a patient, comprising:
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a first elongate member comprising a distal portion having a size for introduction into a body lumen and defining a longitudinal axis; and
a tubular filter element having first and second ends adjacent first and second respective portions of the filter element, the first end being substantially fixed to the distal portion of the first elongate member, the second end being movable axially with respect to the distal portion of the first elongate member towards the first end to evert the filter element, wherein the filter element is biased to assume a predetermined everted configuration when the filter element is everted, the second portion being located substantially within the first portion in the everted configuration. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method for manufacturing a filter element, the method comprising:
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providing an elongate tubular mesh having first and second ends, and first and second portions adjacent the first and second ends, respectively;
shaping the tubular mesh into an everted configuration in which the second portion is disposed concentrically within the first portion;
heating the tubular mesh to a predetermined temperature to program the everted configuration into a shape memory of the tubular mesh; and
removing the second portion from within the first portion to dispose the tubular mesh in a generally tubular configuration, the tubular mesh maintaining the tubular configuration in a relaxed state. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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36. A method for capturing particulate within a body lumen of a patient using a tubular filter element on a distal portion and second portions adjacent first and second respective ends of the filter element, the method comprising:
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advancing the distal portion of the elongate member to a location within a body lumen downstream of a treatment site, the tubular filter element being disposed in a radially compressed configuration;
directing the first and second ends of the filter element towards one another, whereupon the filter element everts such that the second portion is located substantially within the first portion, and an intermediate portion between the first and second portions expands to engage a wall of the body lumen; and
capturing particulate passing along the body lumen within the everted filter element.
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Specification