Filter flush system and methods of use

• US 6,168,579 B1
• Filed: 08/04/1999
• Issued: 01/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Tsugita, Ross S.
• Primary Examiner(s): YASKO JR, JOHN D
• Application Number:
  US09/369,052
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 604/96.01, 604/104, 604/105, 604/106, 604/107, 604/500, 604/508, 604/509, 604/523, 604/532, 606/191, 606/194, 606/198, 606/200
• US Class Current: 604/96.01
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12022 Occluding by internal devices, e.g. balloons or releasable wires plugging an opening in the wall of an organ A61B17/0057; occluders for the cervical canal A61F6/146; vas deferens occluders A61F6/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12109 in a blood vessel
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12136 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22 Implements for squeezing-off ulcers or the like on the inside of inner organs of the body; Implements for scraping-out cavities of body organs, e.g. bones; Calculus removers; Calculus smashing apparatus; Apparatus for removing obstructions in blood vessels, not otherwise provided for dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0108 Both ends closed, i.e. legs gathered at both ends
• 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 2/82 Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents stent-grafts for tubular structures of the body other than blood vessels A61F2/04; stent-grafts for blood vessels A61F2/07; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95; for closing wounds, or holding wounds closed A61B17/04 - A61B17/115; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/958 Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• 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 2230/008 paraboloidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0093 Umbrella-shaped, e.g. mushroom-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09175 having specific characteristics at the distal tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1052 for temporarily occluding a vessel for isolating a sector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0662 Guide tubes

Abstract

A filter flush system for temporary placement of a filter in an artery or vein is disclosed. The system typically includes a guidewire insertable within a guiding catheter, which has an occlusion balloon disposed about its distal end. The guidewire has an expandable filter, which can be collapsed to pass through a lumen and distal port of the guiding catheter. The lumen is adapted to receive a variety of endovascular devices, including angioplasty, atherectomy, and stenting catheters. Fluid medium or blood can be infused through the lumen of the guiding catheter to flush embolic material or mobile plaque generated during the endovascular procedures toward the expanded filter deployed downstream from the region of interest. Methods of using the filter flush system to entrap and remove embolic material from the vessel are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A vessel filtering system, comprising:

a guidewire having a proximal end and a distal end;

an expandable filter mounted at the distal end of the guidewire;

a guiding catheter having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen therebetween, the lumen adapted to receive the guidewire which passes through a distal port on the guiding catheter; and

an occlusion balloon disposed about the distal end of the guiding catheter.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an angioplasty catheter having a proximal end, a distal end, a lumen which receives the guidewire, and wherein the lumen of the guiding catheter is adapted to receive the angioplasty catheter.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the expandable filter comprises an expansion frame and a mesh disposed over the frame.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the mesh is woven.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the mesh comprises a thin film having holes to allow fluid flow.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the frame comprises a plurality of struts bonded to the guidewire at a first end, and which expands radially outward at a second end.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the frame comprises an inflation seal.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the guiding catheter includes an aspiration port distal the occlusion balloon, the aspiration port communicating with an aspiration lumen.

9. The system of claim 2, further comprising a stent disposed about the angioplasty catheter.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the occlusion balloon communicates with an inflation lumen.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising an atherectomy catheter having a proximal end, a distal end, a lumen which receives the guidewire, and wherein the lumen of the guiding catheter is adapted to receive the angioplasty catheter.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the guiding catheter includes an infusion port proximal to the occlusion balloon.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the infusion port communicates with the lumen of the guiding catheter.

14. The system of claim 2, wherein the angioplasty catheter includes an infusion port proximal to the angioplasty balloon.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the infusion port communicates with a perfusion port distal the angioplasty balloon.

16. A method for flushing embolic debris into a filter, comprising the steps of:

providing a guidewire having an expandable filter at a distal end;

providing a guiding catheter having an occlusion balloon at a distal end and a lumen extending to a port at the distal end;

inserting the guidewire into a vessel;

advancing the expandable filter beyond a region of interest;

expanding the filter;

inserting the guiding catheter over the guidewire and positioning the occlusion balloon proximal the region of interest;

expanding the occlusion balloon to occlude the vessel; and

infusing fluid through the lumen of the guiding catheter to flush atheromatous material into the expandable filter.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the guiding catheter is inserted over the guidewire before the step of expanding the filter.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the guiding catheter is inserted over the guidewire before the step of advancing the expandable filter beyond the region of interest.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the vessel is coronary artery.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the vessel is the carotid artery.