Everted filter device

• US 20050283186A1
• Filed: 08/22/2005
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: ev3, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Berrada, Marwane, Anderson, Kent, Kusleika, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 7,621,870 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/200
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0105 Open ended, i.e. legs gathered only at one side
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/018 made from tubes or sheets of material, e.g. by etching or laser-cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0006 circular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0069 cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/008 paraboloidal

Abstract

Everting filter devices and methods for using the devices, including using the devices as intra-vascular filters to filter thrombus, emboli, and plaque fragments from blood vessels. The filter devices include a filter body nominally tubular in shape and having a large proximal opening. The filter body can extend from a proximal first end region distally over the non-everted exterior surface of the filter, further extending distally to a distal-most region, then converging inwardly and extending proximally toward the filter second end region, forming a distal everted cavity. The degree of eversion of the filter can be controlled by varying the distance between the filter first end region near the proximal opening and the closed second end region. Bringing the filter first and second end regions closer together can bring filter material previously on the non-everted filter exterior to occupy the distal-most region. The everting process can also bring filter material previously in the distal-most position further into the distal everted cavity. The filter devices can be used to remove filtrate from body vessels, with the filtrate eventually occluding the distal-most region. The filter can then be further everted, bringing fresh, unoccluded filter material into place to provide additional filter capacity. Some everting filters have the capability of switching between occluding and filtering modes of operation, thereby allowing a treating physician to postpone the decision to use filtering or occluding devices until well after insertion of the device into the patient'"'"'s body.

Claims

1. A filter device for filtering a body vessel fluid in a patient'"'"'s body, the vessel having interior walls, the filter device comprising:

a filter body having an open proximal end region and a closed, everted distal end region, the filter body being formed of a self-expanding porous mesh, the mesh defining a filter body interior and exterior, wherein the everted distal end region has an exterior distal everted cavity;

a first elongate member having a distal region operably coupled to the filter body distal end region; and

means for changing the degree of eversion of the filter body by changing the distance between the filter body proximal and distal end regions.

2. A filter device as in claim 1, wherein the means for changing the degree of eversion includes the filter body being biased to expand radially outward against the vessel interior walls to hold the filter body in place, wherein the means for changing the degree of eversion also includes means for moving the first elongate member and coupled filter body distal end region.

4. A filter device as in claim 2, wherein the first elongate member is a shaft and the means for moving the first elongate member includes the first elongate member having a proximal region accessible from outside the patient'"'"'s body.

5. A filter device as in claim 1, further comprising a second elongate member operably coupled to the filter body proximal end region, wherein the means for changing the degree of eversion also includes means for moving the first and second elongate members.

6. A filter device as in claim 5, wherein the second elongate member is a shaft and the means for moving the first and second elongate members includes the first and second elongate members each having a proximal region accessible from outside the patient'"'"'s body.

7. A filter device as in claim 5, wherein the first and second elongate members are shafts and the means for moving the first and second elongate members includes the first and second elongate members each having a proximal region accessible from outside the patient'"'"'s body.

8. A filter device as in claim 5, wherein the second elongate member is a shaft having a lumen therethrough having the first elongate member slidably disposed within, and the means for moving the first and second elongate members includes the first and second elongate members each having a proximal region accessible from outside the patient'"'"'s body.

3. (canceled)

9-35. -35. (canceled)

36. An everted filter device comprising:

a first shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the distal portion having a distal region;

a second shaft having a proximal portion, a distal portion, the distal portion having a distal region and a proximal region; and

a filter body formed of a self-expanding porous mesh material having an average pore size, a first end region secured to the first shaft distal portion distal region, the filter body having a second end region secured to the second shaft distal portion distal region, the filter body having at least one proximal opening having an opening size at least five times the filter body average pore size, wherein the filter body distal region is everted when unconstrained to form an exterior distal everted cavity.

37. A device as in claim 36, wherein the second shaft is slidably coupled to the first shaft.

38. A device as in claim 37, wherein the first shaft has a lumen therethrough having the second shaft slidably disposed within.

39. A device as in claim 37, wherein the second shaft includes a curved region disposed distally of the first and second shaft slidable coupling and biased to assume a curved shape when unconstrained.

40. A device as in claim 37, wherein the second shaft extends distally and transversely away from the first shaft slidable coupling to inhibit proximal movement of the second shaft.

41. A device as in claim 37, wherein the second shaft extends distally and transversely away from the first shaft coupling to limit proximal movement of the second shaft.

42-52. -52. (canceled)

53. An everted occluding/perfusing device comprising:

a first shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the distal portion having a distal region;

a second shaft having a proximal portion, a distal portion, the distal portion having a distal region and a proximal region; and

a mesh body having an average pore size, a first end region secured to the first shaft distal portion distal region, the mesh body having a second end region secured to the distal shaft distal portion distal region, the mesh body having at least one proximal opening having an opening size at least five times the mesh body average pore size, the mesh body having an interior and a exterior, wherein the mesh body distal region is everted when unconstrained to form a distal-most region and converges inwardly and proximally to form an exterior distal everted cavity,

wherein the mesh body has a perfusing portion and an occluding portion disposed over the mesh body such that changing the degree of eversion of the mesh body changes the device between the occluding and perfusing portions being disposed in the distal-most region of the mesh body, and wherein the mesh body is self-expanding.

54. A device as in claim 53, wherein the occluding portion is disposed near the mesh body second end, wherein the perfusing portion is disposed between the occluding portion and the mesh body first end region, such that moving the mesh body second end region toward the body first end region acts to further evert the mesh body and cause the occluding region to form the distal cavity wall while causing the perfusing portion to occupy the distal-most region of the occluding/perfusing device.

56. A device as in claim 53, wherein the mesh body perfusing portion is formed of filter material, the filter material having an average pore size of less than about 500 microns.

55. (canceled)

57-59. -59. (canceled)

60. A method for filtering filtrate material from a body vessel fluid, the method comprising:

providing a filter device comprising a filter body having a proximal opening disposed within a proximal mouth region, a closed everted distal region having an exterior distal everted cavity and a distal-most region, wherein the filter body has a filtering portion and an occluding portion oriented so that the filter body can be manipulated between an occluding mode and a filtering mode by changing the degree of eversion of the filter body, the filter device further comprising an elongate first member having a proximal end region, a proximal region and a distal region, the elongate first member distal region being coupled to the filter body closed everted region;

advancing the filtering device filter body to the body vessel region to be filtered;

manipulating the filter body to a first configuration so that the distal-most region of the filter body is occupied by the filter body occluding portion to substantially occlude flow of the vessel fluid;

changing the degree of eversion of the filter body so that the distal-most region of the filtering device is occupied by the filter body filtering portion to capture the filtrate; and

filtering the body vessel fluid to collect filtrate in the filter body distal-most region.

61. A method as in claim 60, wherein the filter device further comprises a second elongate member having a proximal region and a distal region, wherein the filter body proximal region is coupled to the second elongate member distal region, wherein the changing degree of eversion step includes changing the distance between the first and second elongate member distal regions, to change the distance between the filter body first and second end regions.

62. A method as in claim 60, wherein the filter body is biased to expand radially against an enclosing body vessel wall to anchor the filter body, wherein the changing degree of eversion step includes changing the distance between the first elongate member distal region and the filter body proximal mouth region, to change the distance between the filter body first and second end regions.

63. A method as in claim 62, wherein the changing distance step includes manipulating the first elongate member from the first elongate member proximal portion end to urge the elongate member distal region proximally.

74. A method as in claim 60, wherein the filter body is self-expanding.

64-73. -73. (canceled)