Centering intravascular filters and devices and methods for deploying and retrieving intravascular filters

• US 20050182439A1
• Filed: 02/13/2004
• Published: 08/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lifescreen Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Lowe, Brian J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,323,003 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/200
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0103 With centering means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0105 Open ended, i.e. legs gathered only at one side
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/011 Instruments for their placement or removal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/848 having means for fixation to the vessel wall, e.g. barbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/016 made from wire-like elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/005 Rosette-shaped, e.g. star-shaped

Abstract

An intravascular expandable filter which has centering members that work to center the filter in a body vessel, the centering member creating a zone at the radial extent of the filter substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the filter. A device to deploy the filter consisting of an inner sheath with radially expandable distal arms having slots in them to receive the elongate members of the filter. A device to receive the filter consisting of a member to push a central portion of the filter into a receiving portion of the device.

Claims

1. An intravascular filter, comprising:

a center element;

a plurality of elongate elements extending in a first direction from the centering element, each elongate element having a first end joined to the center element at a first longitudinal position and a second end;

a plurality of anchoring elements connected to the second ends of the plurality of elongate elements; and

a plurality of centering elements having a plurality of vessel wall contacting regions disposed in the first direction from the center element.

2. The filter of claim 1,

further comprising a central longitudinal axis,

wherein a first portion of each of the plurality of vessel wall contacting regions is substantially parallel to the central longitudinal axis.

3. The filter of claim 2, wherein the plurality of centering elements are disposed at the second ends of the plurality of elongate elements.

4. The filter of claim 3, wherein the plurality of centering elements are disposed between the plurality of elongate elements and the plurality of anchoring elements.

5. The filter of claim 4, wherein the plurality of vessel wall contacting regions extend from the second ends of the plurality of elongate elements in a second direction opposite the first direction.

6. The filter of claim 5, wherein the anchoring elements are disposed at ends of the plurality of anchoring elements, the ends being the ends in the second-most direction.

7. The filter of claim 4, wherein the plurality of vessel wall contacting regions extend from the second ends of the plurality of elongate elements in the first direction and in a second direction opposite the first direction.

8. The filter of claim 4, wherein the plurality of vessel wall contacting regions extend from the second ends of the plurality of elongate elements in the first direction.

9. The filter of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of centering elements comprise a second curved portion, the second curved portion disposed between the plurality of elongate members and the first portions.

10. The filter of claim 9, wherein the second curved portion extends radially beyond the first portions.

11. The filter of claim 9, wherein the plurality of anchoring elements are disposed at ends of the plurality of anchoring elements in the first-most direction.

12. The filter of claim 1, wherein the plurality of centering elements extend radially outward from the center element.

13. The filter of claim 12, wherein the vessel contacting regions comprise a sphere.

14. The filter of claim 12, wherein the plurality of centering elements extend radially outward more sharply than the plurality of elongate elements.

15. The filter of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of centering elements have a first end joined to the center element at a second position spaced longitudinally apart from the first position.

16. The filter of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of centering elements is substantially parallel to one of the plurality of elongate elements.

17. The filter of claim 16, wherein the plurality of vessel wall contacting regions comprise anchoring elements.

18. A deployment device for an expandable filter having a plurality of elongate elements, comprising:

a first sheath having a central lumen extending from a first end to a second end and a plurality of slots for positioning the plurality of elongate elements; and

a filter deployment element.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the plurality of elongate elements and the plurality of slots are equal in number.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein the filter deployment element comprises an elongate element slidably disposed in the central lumen of the first sheath.

21. The device of claim 18, further comprising a second sheath slidably disposed over the first sheath, wherein the filter deployment element comprises a radially expandable portion of the first sheath.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the first sheath radially expandable portion comprises a plurality of arms, each arm having a first free end and a second joined end.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein a plurality of the arms comprise the plurality of slots.

24. The device of claim 22, wherein the arms are in an expanded position when unconstrained.

25. The device of claim 21, wherein the first sheath comprises a first stop and the second sheath comprises a second stop, wherein when the first stop is against the second stop, the first sheath radially expandable portion is expanded.

26. A filter retrieval device for retrieving an expandable filter having a central portion with elongate members extending radially therefrom in a first direction, comprising:

a capturing member having a first open end spaced apart from a second open end and a retrieval lumen therebetween; and

a elongate device for urging the filter into the capturing member by pressing the central portion of the filter.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein the capture member further comprises an elongate rod having a first end attached to the second open end of the capturing member, wherein the elongate rod does not obstruct the retrieval lumen.

28. The device of claim 26, wherein the elongate device has a distal end that faces proximally.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein the distal end is substantially parallel to a proximate proximal portion of the elongate device.

30. A filter retrieval device, comprising

a guidewire having a distal end;

and

a plurality of retrieval prongs attached to the distal end of the guidewire, the plurality of retrieval prongs arranged radially around a central cavity having a distal opening for receiving a portion of a filter, each retrieval prong having a distal end movable between a first position and a second radially expanded position and having a distal inward lip.

31. The filter retrieval device of claim 30, wherein each of the retrieval prongs is flexible.

32. The filter retrieval device of claim 30, further comprising a flexible joining member disposed between the plurality of retrieval prongs and the guidewire.

33. The filter retrieval device of claim 30, further comprising a catheter having a distally open lumen sized to fit over the retrieval prongs in the first position and retain the retrieval prongs in the first position.