Blood clot filtering
First Claim
1. A filter sized and constructed to be compressed and passed through the vasculature of a patient to be anchored against an inner wall surface of a blood vessel for capturing blood clots in a blood stream passing therethrough, said filter comprising:
- an anchoring portion comprising a generally cylindrical self-expanding body formed from resilient material, said generally cylindrical body having proximal and distal ends and defining an axial direction and having a structure of variable diameter that is expandable from a low-profile compressed condition to a larger profile expanded condition, wherein said resilient material urges said generally cylindrical body to radially expand and to thereby apply anchoring radial force against the inner wall surface of the blood vessel; and
a filtering portion aligned with said generally cylindrical body, and having an open proximal end supported near the distal end of said anchoring portion, wherein the filtering portion includes elongated strands structured to provide a capture cross-section that prevents large clots from passing therethrouqh.
6 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
This invention is a blood clot filter having an anchoring portion (402) which includes a generally cylindrical self-expanding body. A generally conical filtering portion (400) is axially aligned with the cylindrical body (402), has an open proximal end (406) coupled to a distal end of the anchoring portion, and an apical distal end (404). In a preferred embodiment, the filter portion (400) is formed from strands (410) of resilient material that extend from the apical distal end (404) to the open proximal end (406). The strands (410) form twisted pairs (408) that converge at the apical distal end (404). The strands (410) diverge from the twisted pairs (408) in crossing paths to form a pattern of open filtering cells (A)(B)(C). The filter also has hooks (413) coupled to the anchoring portion (402) and formed from compliant material having an original shaped that bends under stress yet returns to its original shaped when unstressed.
602 Citations
45 Claims
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1. A filter sized and constructed to be compressed and passed through the vasculature of a patient to be anchored against an inner wall surface of a blood vessel for capturing blood clots in a blood stream passing therethrough, said filter comprising:
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an anchoring portion comprising a generally cylindrical self-expanding body formed from resilient material, said generally cylindrical body having proximal and distal ends and defining an axial direction and having a structure of variable diameter that is expandable from a low-profile compressed condition to a larger profile expanded condition, wherein said resilient material urges said generally cylindrical body to radially expand and to thereby apply anchoring radial force against the inner wall surface of the blood vessel; and a filtering portion aligned with said generally cylindrical body, and having an open proximal end supported near the distal end of said anchoring portion, wherein the filtering portion includes elongated strands structured to provide a capture cross-section that prevents large clots from passing therethrouqh. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 43, 44, 45)
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12. A filter sized and constructed to be compressed and passed through the vasculature of a patient for anchoring against an inner wall surface of a blood vessel for capturing blood clots in a blood stream passing therethrough, said filter comprising:
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a cylindrical anchoring portion having proximal and distal ends and defining an axial direction and having a structure of variable size diameter expandable from a low-profile compressed condition to a larger profile expanded condition; and a filter axially aligned with said generally cylindrical body having an open proximal end supported from the distal end of said anchoring portion and having a distal end, said filter defined by elongated spiral strands, wherein said cylindrical anchoring portion and said filter are substantially nonoverlapping to achieve a low profile compressed condition for delivery of the filter through the vasculature.
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- 13. A filter having a longitudinal axis, sized and constructed to be compressed and passed through the vasculature of a patient and to be expanded and anchored against an inner wall surface of a blood vessel for capturing blood clots in a blood stream passing therethrough, said filter comprising a filter portion having a closed distal end and an open proximal end, the filter portion comprising two sets of strands formed of resilient material that spiral in opposite directions in a crossing pattern that defines a plurality of open cells, the strands being slidably movable relative to each other at regions where they cross.
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18. A filter sized and constructed to be passed through the vasculature of a patient in a compressed condition and to be anchored in an expanded condition against an inner wall surface of a blood vessel for capturing blood clots in a blood stream passing therethrough, said filter including a filter portion that is substantially conical-shaped in the expanded condition and having an apical distal end and an open proximal end, the filter portion comprising two sets of strands of spring material that spiral in opposite directions in a crossing pattern, the strands being relatively slidable at regions where they cross, in the expanded condition the crossing pattern defining a plurality of four-sided, open cells, the cells being arranged in rings having a common axis, the cells of each ring being progressively larger with distance from the apical center, a first ring nearest to the apical center comprised of cells each including only one of the crossing regions of relatively slidable strands, at least one intermediate ring comprised of cells each including at least two of the crossing regions of relatively slidable strands, and a third ring nearest the open end comprised of cells each including only one of the crossing regions of relatively slidable strands, wherein the cells of the first ring each comprise two sides closest to the apical center that are formed of twisted pairs of the strands, wherein the twisted pairs join at the apical center.
- 19. A filter having a longitudinal axis, said filter sized and constructed to be passed through the vasculature of a patient in a radially compressed condition and to be anchored against an inner wall surface of a blood vessel in a radially expanded condition for capturing blood clots in a blood stream passing therethrough, said filter comprising a filter portion that includes a distal end, an open proximal end of variable size diameter, and elongated strands extending from the distal end to the open proximal end, the strands being twisted together in twisted groups which converge at the distal end to define common borders of a plurality of open filtering cells.
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30. A filter sized and constructed to be passed through the vasculature of a patient in a compressed condition and to be anchored in an expanded condition against an inner wall surface of a blood vessel for capturing blood clots in a blood stream passing therethrough, said filter including a filter portion that is substantially conical-shaped in the expanded condition, an apical distal end and an open proximal end, the filter portion comprising strands that extend from an open proximal end of the filter portion to an apical distal end, pairs of the strands forming twisted pairs that converge at the apical distal end, each of the strands forming each twisted pair diverging from the twisted pair near the apical distal end and extending therefrom in an approximately straight path that crosses a strand from a neighboring twisted pair, each strand being joined to another strand at the open proximal end, the crossing strands being relatively slidable at regions where they cross, in the expanded condition the crossing strands and the twisted pairs defining a plurality of four-sided, open cells, the cells being arranged in coaxial rings, the cells of each ring being progressively larger with distance from the apical distal end, the cells of a first ring nearest to the apical distal end and the cells of a second ring nearest the open proximal end each including only one of the crossing regions of relatively slidable strands, and the cells of an intermediate third ring each including two of the crossing regions of relatively slidable strands.
Specification