Vena caval filter

• US 5,549,626 A
• Filed: 12/23/1994
• Issued: 08/27/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: New York Society For The Ruptured and Crippled Manufacturing The Hospital For Special Surgery
• Original Assignee: New York Society For The Ruptured and Crippled Manufacturing The Hospital For Special Surgery
• Inventors: Miller, Theodore T., Ghelman, Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Buiz, Michael Powell
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRUONG, KEVIN THAO
• Application Number:
  US08/362,835
• Time in Patent Office: 613 Days
• Field of Search: 606/200, 606/191, 606/195, 606/194, 606/198
• US Class Current: 606/200
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/01 Filters implantable into blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/011 Instruments for their placement or removal
• 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 2230/008 paraboloidal

Abstract

A co-axial filtering device for removing particles from arteries and veins comprises an outer catheter that can be inserted into a blood vessel and an inner catheter with a filter at its distal end. The filter is a radially expandable receptacle made of an elastic mesh structure of spring wires or plastic monofilaments. The filter expands into engagement with the walls of the blood vessel when it is pushed from the distal end of the outer catheter. A syringe is attached to the proximal end of the inner catheter and particles entrapped within the filter are aspirated through the inner catheter into the syringe. When filtering is no longer necessary, the filter can easily be removed by pulling the elastic material through the outer catheter.

Claims

1. A filtering device for removing particles from a blood vessel, comprising:

an outer catheter having distal and proximal ends;

an inner catheter for insertion through said outer catheter, said inner catheter having distal and proximal ends and a through lumen, and being movable relative to said outer catheter;

a mesh-like collapsible basket attached to said distal end of said inner catheter, said basket being made of a radially expandable material which can be compressed by said outer catheter, whereby said basket will expand into contact with the blood vessel when said basket extends from said distal end of said outer catheter.

2. The filtering device of claim 1, further comprising clamping means arranged at said proximal end of said inner and outer catheters for locking said inner and outer catheters together to prevent an unintended axial displacement of said inner and outer catheters relative to each other.

3. A method for filtering particles from blood in a blood vessel of a patient comprising the steps of:

introducing an outer catheter into the blood vessel;

advancing said outer catheter to a desired location within the blood vessel;

guiding an inner catheter having a contracted mesh-like collapsible basket distally attached to said inner catheter to said desired location within said outer catheter, said inner catheter having a suction means proximally attached;

positioning said basket at a desired location beyond said distal end of said outer catheter whereby said basket expands radially within the blood vessel;

aspirating the particles from within said basket by applying suction to said inner catheter; and

withdrawing the basket from the blood vessel by pulling it through said outer catheter.