SLIDEABLE VASCULAR FILTER

• US 20080119889A1
• Filed: 01/25/2008
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: ev3, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Kusleika, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 8,956,382 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/200
• 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 2002/016 made from wire-like elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0006 circular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0098 radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers

Abstract

A collapsible medical device for use, e.g., as a vascular filter. The device includes a mandrel having a distal end and a stop spaced proximally of the distal end. A proximal length of the mandrel extends proximally of the stop and a distal length of the mandrel extends distally of the stop. A functional element (e.g., a vascular filter) has a radially expandable body and includes a proximal slider and a distal slider. The proximal and distal sliders are slidable along the mandrel independently of one another such that the distance between the proximal slider and distal slider can be varied to effect different configurations of the functional element. In one method of using such a device, the functional element is urged distally to a treatment site by urging the mandrel distally. This causes the stop to exert a distal biasing force on the distal slider, which acts against a restorative force of the functional element to axially elongate the functional element and reduce friction between the functional element and a wall of the vessel.

Claims

1. An apparatus for filtering emboli from blood flowing through a vessel, the apparatus comprising:

a guidewire having a distal region and a stop on the distal region; and

a filter element configured to rotate and translate on the guidewire, the filter element having a proximal end and a distal end,

wherein the stop is disposed intermediate the proximal and distal ends of the filter element.

2. An apparatus for filtering emboli from blood flowing through a vessel, the apparatus comprising:

a guidewire having a distal region and a stop on the distal region; and

a filter element having a proximal coupling slidably coupled to the guidewire proximal of the stop and a distal coupling slidably coupled to the guidewire distal of the stop;

wherein the stop restricts translation of the filter element along the guidewire.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the filter element has a range of translation along the guidewire generally determined by the distance between the proximal coupling and the distal coupling.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein translation of the filter element is restricted on the guidewire proximally by the distal coupling abutting against the stop, and distally by the proximal coupling abutting against the stop.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the filter element includes a filter sac coupled to the distal coupling.

6. An apparatus for filtering emboli from blood flowing through a vessel, the apparatus comprising:

a guidewire having a diameter and a distal region;

a filter element including a proximal ring slidably coupled to the guidewire and a distal ring slidably coupled to the guidewire, the proximal ring having a bore greater than the diameter of the guidewire and the distal ring having a bore greater than the diameter of the guidewire; and

a stop disposed on the distal region of the guidewire intermediate the proximal ring and the distal ring.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein stop has a diameter greater than the bore of the proximal ring.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the stop has a diameter greater than the bore of the distal ring.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein translation of the filter element is restricted on the guidewire proximally by the distal ring abutting against the stop, and distally by the proximal ring abutting against the stop.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the filter element has a contracted state suitable for transluminal delivery, and the guidewire includes a distal region distal of the stop having a length greater than a length of the filter element in the contracted state.

11. An apparatus for filtering emboli from blood flowing through a vessel, the apparatus comprising:

a mandrel having a distal end and a stop spaced proximally of the distal end; and

a vascular filter configured to rotate and translate on the mandrel, the vascular filter having a proximal end and a distal end,

wherein the stop is disposed intermediate the proximal and distal ends of the vascular filter.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a proximal slider disposed on the mandrel, and the vascular filter being connected to the proximal slider.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a distal slider disposed on the guidewire, and the vascular filter being connected to the distal slider.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the stop is disposed intermediate of the proximal slider and the distal slider.

15. An apparatus for filtering emboli from blood flowing through a vessel, the apparatus comprising:

a mandrel having a distal end and a stop spaced proximally of the distal end; and

a vascular filter having a proximal slider coupled to the mandrel proximal of the stop and a distal slider coupled to the mandrel distal of the stop;

wherein the stop restricts translation of the vascular filter along the mandrel.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the vascular filter has a range of translation along the mandrel generally determined by the distance between the proximal slider and the distal slider.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein translation of the vascular filter is restricted on the mandrel proximally by the distal slider abutting against the stop, and distally by the proximal slider abutting against the stop.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the vascular filter is self-expanding.

19. An apparatus for filtering emboli from blood flowing through a vessel, the apparatus comprising:

a mandrel having a diameter and a distal region;

a vascular filter including a proximal slider coupled to the mandrel and a distal slider coupled to the mandrel, the proximal slider having a bore greater than the diameter of the mandrel and the distal slider having a bore greater than the diameter of the mandrel; and

a stop disposed on the distal region of the mandrel intermediate the proximal slider and the distal slider.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the stop has a diameter greater than the bore of the proximal slider.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the stop has a diameter greater than the bore of the distal slider.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein translation of the vascular filter is restricted on the mandrel proximally by the distal slider abutting against the stop, and distally by the proximal slider abutting against the stop.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the vascular filter is self-expanding.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the vascular filter has a contracted state suitable for transluminal delivery, and the mandrel includes a distal region distal of the stop having a length greater than a length of the vascular filter in the contracted state.