EMBOLIC PROTECTION DEVICE

• US 20080188884A1
• Filed: 12/20/2006
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1997
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Salviac Ltd. (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: Salviac Ltd. (Abbott Laboratories)
• Inventors: Brady, Eamon, Vale, David, Taylor, Charles, Maher, Padraig, Gilson, Paul
• Application Number:
  US11/613,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20080188884A1
• 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 element (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 system, comprising:

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

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;

a catheter that maintains the filter element in the collapsed stored position; and

a shrink wrap, the shrink wrap releasably fixing the catheter to the support element to prevent movement of the catheter relative to the support element during manipulation, but being removable to allow for proximal movement of the catheter with respect to the support element.

2. The embolic protection system of claim 1, wherein the shrink wrap covers at least a portion of the support element.

3. The embolic protection system of claim 2, wherein release of the shrink wrap allows the catheter to be withdrawn.

4. The embolic protection system of claim 3, wherein the filter element is fixed to the support element.

5. The embolic protection system of claim 2, further comprising a peel-away tab provided on the shrink wrap.

6. The embolic protection system of claim 5, wherein peeling of the peel-away tab breaks a shrink wrap joint of the shrink wrap.

7. The embolic protection system of claim 2, wherein the shrink wrap comprises a shrink wrap tube.

8. The embolic protection system of claim 2, wherein the support element is a guidewire.

9. The embolic protection system of claim 8, wherein the guidewire is a hollow guidewire.

10. The embolic protection system of claim 9, wherein the hollow guidewire comprises a polymeric or metallic tube.

11. The embolic protection system of claim 9, wherein the hollow guidewire comprises a spring.

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, wherein a catheter maintains the filter element in the collapsed stored position, and wherein shrink wrap releasably fixes the support element to the catheter to prevent movement of the catheter relative to the support element during manipulation, but removable to allow for proximal movement of the catheter with respect to the support element;

releasing the shrink wrap in order to allow the catheter to be withdrawn and thereby expanding the filter element.

13. The method for providing embolic protection of claim 12, wherein the shrink wrap covers at least a portion of the support element.

14. The method for providing embolic protection of claim 13, wherein the filter is fixed to the support element.

15. The method for providing embolic protection of claim 13, wherein releasing the shrink wrap comprises peeling of a peel-away tab provided on the shrink wrap whereby a shrink wrap joint of the shrink wrap tube is broken.

16. the method for providing embolic protection of claim 13. wherein the shrink wrap comprises a shrink wrap tube.

17. The method for providing embolic protection of claim 13, wherein the support element is a guidewire.

18. The method for providing embolic protection of claim 17, wherein the guidewire is a hollow guidewire.

19. The method for providing embolic protection of claim 18, wherein the hollow guidewire comprises a polymeric or metallic tube.

20. The method for providing embolic protection of claim 19. wherein the hollow guidewire comprises a spring.