EMBOLIC PROTECTION DEVICE

• US 20070162069A1
• Filed: 12/13/2006
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1997
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Salviac Ltd. (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Salviac Ltd. (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Brady, Eamon, Vale, David, Taylor, Charles, Maher, Padraig, GILSON, Paul
• Application Number:
  US11/610,144
• Publication Number:
  US 20070162069A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/200
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22051 with an inflatable part, e.g. balloon, for positioning, blocking, or immobilisation A61B2017/22048, A61B2017/3486 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22067 Blocking; Occlusion A61B2017/22054 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0108 Both ends closed, i.e. legs gathered at both ends
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/011 Instruments for their placement or removal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/013 Distal protection devices, i.e. devices placed distally in combination with another endovascular procedure, e.g. angioplasty or stenting
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/015 Stop means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/016 made from wire-like elements
• 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 2230/0067 conical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0069 cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0093 Umbrella-shaped, e.g. mushroom-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0097 Harpoon-shaped

Abstract

An embolic protection device has a collapsible filter element (105) mounted on a carrier such as a guidewire (101). The filter element (105) collapses into the outer end of a catheter (118) for deployment and retrieval through a vascular system of a patient. The filter clement (105) has a collapsible filter body with a proximal inlet end and a distal outlet end. The proximal inlet end has inlet openings sized to allow blood and embolic material enter the filter body. The outlet end has outlet openings which allow through passage of blood but retain embolic material within the filter body. After use, the catheter (118) is movable along the guidewire (101) to engage the proximal end of the filter element and close the inlet openings before sliding over the filter element from the proximal end to the distal end to progressively collapse the filter body on the guidewire (101) for retrieval. The filter element (105) may conveniently be mounted on a tubular sleeve (104) which is slidable and rotatable on the guidewire (101) between spaced-apart stops (106, 120) on the guidewire (101) which allows some manipulation of the guidewire independently of the filter when the filter is in use.

Claims

1. An embolic protection device, comprising:

a support element for delivery through a vascular system of a patient; and

a filter element associated with the support element, the filter element being movable between a collapsed stored position for movement through the vascular system and an expanded position for occluding a blood vessel such that blood passing through the blood vessel is delivered through the filter element but embolic material in the blood is retained in the filter element;

the filter element comprising a mesh having a plurality of slots configured to allow the filter element to move between the stored collapsed position and the expanded position.

2. The embolic protection device of claim 1, wherein the mesh frame comprises a shape memory alloy.

3. The embolic protection device of claim 2, wherein the alloy is Nitinol.

4. The embolic protection device of claim 1, wherein the slots of the mesh form proximal inlets and distal outlets, the proximal inlets sized to allow blood and embolic material to enter the filter element, and the distal outlets sized to allow through passage of blood but to retain embolic material within the filter element.

5. The embolic protection device of claim 4, wherein the filter element includes a flexible atraumatic distal end.

6. The embolic protection device of claim 5, wherein the distal end comprises a spring or polymeric element.

7. The embolic protection device of claim 1, wherein a proximal end of the filter element is mounted onto the support element.

8. The embolic protection device of claim 7, wherein the support element is a tubular substrate.

9. An embolic protection system, comprising:

an embolic protection device for delivery through a vascular system of a patient, comprising a support element and a filter element associated with the support element, the filter element being movable between a collapsed stored position for movement through the vascular system and an expanded position for occluding a blood vessel such that blood passing through the blood vessel is delivered through the filter element but embolic material in the blood is retained within the filter element, the filter element comprising a mesh having slots configured to move the filter element between the stored collapsed position and the expanded position; and

a sheath disposed about at least a portion of the filter element when the filter element is in the collapsed position.

10. The embolic protection system of claim 9, wherein the mesh comprises a shape memory alloy.

11. The embolic protection system of claim 9, wherein the slots of the mesh form proximal inlets and distal outlets, the proximal inlets sized to allow blood and embolic material to enter the filter element, and the distal outlets sized to allow through passage of blood but to retain embolic material within the filter element.

12. A method for providing embolic protection, comprising:

advancing a support element through a vascular system of a patient, wherein a filter element is associated with the support element, the filter element being movable between a collapsed stored position for movement through the vascular system and an expanded position for occluding a blood vessel such that blood passing through the blood vessel is delivered through the filter element but embolic material is retained in the filter element, the filter element comprising a mesh member defined by a plurality of slots, the slots configured to allow the mesh member to move between the stored collapsed position and the expanded position; and

engaging the filter element with at least a portion of a wall of the blood vessel.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising removing a sheath from about a portion of the filter element, thereby allowing the filter element to move from the collapsed stored position to the expanded position.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising using at least a proximal section of the filter element as a platform for a balloon catheter or a stent.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein an outside diameter dimension of the proximal section is sized to allow free movement of the balloon catheter or stent over the proximal section.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the outside dimension of the proximal section is 0.35 inches or less.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the outside dimension of the proximal section is 0.18 inches or less.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the outside dimension of the proximal section is 0.14 inches or less.