Removable vein filter

• US 20050055046A1
• Filed: 07/26/2004
• Published: 03/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Argon Medical Devices
• Original Assignee: REX Medical LP
• Inventors: Hinchliffe, Peter W.J., McGuckin, James F. Jr., Briganti, Richard T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,821,528 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/200
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/01 Filters implantable into blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/011 Instruments for their placement or removal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/016 made from wire-like elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0006 circular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0067 conical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0078 hyperboloidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/008 paraboloidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0091 helically-coiled or spirally-coiled, i.e. having a 2-D spiral cross-section

Abstract

The present provides a removable vessel filter comprising a first and second filtering portion and a first and second anchoring portion, wherein a transverse dimension of the first filtering portion in an expanded configuration is less than a transverse dimension of the first anchoring portion in an expanded configuration, and a transverse dimension of the second filtering portion is less than a transverse dimension of the second anchoring portion. The first and second filtering portions are positioned closer to each other than the first and second anchoring portions, and the anchoring portions being formed on first and second opposite portions of the vessel filter. The vessel filter is removable from a vessel wall by engagement of either the first filtering portion or the second filtering portion.

Claims

1-18. -18. (canceled).

19. A method of implanting and subsequently removing a vein filter in the inferior vena cava of a patient comprising:

inserting through a vessel in either a first direction or a second direction a catheter having a filter positioned therein in a collapsed configuration so that wire sections of the filter are in a substantially elongated configuration;

releasing the filter from the catheter to enable the filter to move to an expanded configuration, in the expanded configuration a pair of mounting portions expand to a first diameter and a pair of filter portions expand to a second smaller diameter;

leaving the filter in the vessel for a period of time;

inserting after the period of time in either the first direction or the second direction a filter removal tool to engage at least one of the wire sections; and

moving the tool in a direction opposite the insertion direction of the tool to move the filter towards the collapsed configuration.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the filter is inserted through the internal jugular vein and removed through either the internal jugular vein or the femoral vein.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the filter is inserted through the femoral vein and removed through either the internal jugular vein or the femoral vein.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of delivering cold saline into the catheter to maintain the filter in the collapsed configuration.

23. A method of claim 19, wherein the step of releasing the filter comprises withdrawing the catheter to expose the filter.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the filter removal tool has at least one movable jaw and the method further comprises the step of actuating the at least one jaw to clamp one of the wire sections.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the wire sections comprise first, second and third wires, and the filter removal tool has first, second and third pairs of jaws, the method further comprising actuating at least one of the jaws of each pair of jaws to clamp each of the first, second and third wires.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of inserting a removal tool to engage at least one of the wire sections includes manipulating the filter removal tool so a hook on the tool grasps one of the wires.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the wire sections comprise first, second and third wires, and the step of manipulating the filter removal tool includes manipulating first, second and third hooks of the tool so that each hook engages one of the first, second and third wires.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein the filter removal tool comprises a plurality of locking barbs, and the step of inserting the tool to engage at least one of the wire sections comprises the step of engaging at least one of the wire sections with the locking barbs.

29. The method of claim 19, wherein the filter removal tool comprises a collapsible braid, and the step of inserting the tool to engage at least one of the wire sections comprises the step of collapsing the tubular braid to frictionally engage at least one of the wire sections.

30. The method of claim 19, wherein the filter terminates in an atraumatic tip and the step of inserting the tool to engage at least one of the wire sections comprises the step of engaging the atraumatic tip.

31. A method of implanting and subsequently removing a vein filter in the inferior vena cava of a patient comprising:

inserting through a vessel a catheter having a filter positioned therein in a collapsed configuration so that wire sections of the filter are in a substantially elongated configuration, the wire sections held at a proximal portion by a proximal retaining sleeve and held at a distal portion by a distal retaining sleeve;

releasing the filter from the catheter to enable the filter to move to an expanded configuration, in the expanded configuration a pair of mounting portions expand to a first diameter and a pair of filter portions expand to a second smaller diameter;

leaving the filter in the vessel for a period of time;

inserting a filter removal tool in a first direction after a period of time to engage one of the retaining sleeves; and

moving the removal tool in a direction opposite the first insertion direction of the tool to move the filter towards the collapsed configuration.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the filter is inserted through the internal jugular vein and removed through either the internal jugular vein or the femoral vein.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the filter is inserted through the femoral vein and removed through either the internal jugular vein or the femoral vein.

34. The method of claim 31, further comprising the step of delivering cold saline into the catheter to maintain the filter in the collapsed configuration.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein the filter removal tool comprises a snare, and the method of inserting the tool to engage the retaining sleeve further comprises the step of tightening the snare against the retaining sleeve of the filter.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein the filter removal tool comprises a grasper having at least one movable jaw, and the method of inserting the tool to engage the retaining sleeve further comprises the step of actuating the at least one movable jaw to clamp the jaw on the retaining sleeve.