Vascular filter system
First Claim
1. A removable percutaneous vascular filter system for blocking micro- and macro-emboli in a vessel while allowing continued perfusion of blood, comprising:
- a guidewire having distal and proximal ends, a filter comprising (a) a non-metallic, porous, flexible filter membrane having a distal portion and a proximal free portion and (b) a filter membrane support structure extending from the flexible filter membrane distal portion to at least the flexible filter membrane proximal portion, wherein said filter membrane distal portion is pivotally attached to the guidewire near said distal end of the guidewire and wherein the filter membrane proximal free end portion is substantially parallel to the guidewire in its collapsed state, and deploying means operatively connected to the filter to cause the filter membrane proximal free end portion to move from a position substantially parallel to the guidewire to a position removed from the longitudinal axis of the guidewire to cause the flexible filter membrane to form a substantially conical shape to form a generally sealing relationship with the wall of said vessel.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A removable vascular filter system for blocking micro- and macro-emboli while allowing the continued perfusion of blood comprises a filter membrane positioned on a guidewire, wherein a free end of the membrane sits tightly against the guidewire when the filter membrane is in a collapsed state and wherein the filter has a means for deploying the filter membrane to assume a position substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of the guidewire. The filter membrane is comprised of a fine mesh material which has a pore size capable of blocking emboli while allowing continued blood flow, a preferred embodiment of which comprises regularly spaced, laser-formed holes.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A removable percutaneous vascular filter system for blocking micro- and macro-emboli in a vessel while allowing continued perfusion of blood, comprising:
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a guidewire having distal and proximal ends, a filter comprising (a) a non-metallic, porous, flexible filter membrane having a distal portion and a proximal free portion and (b) a filter membrane support structure extending from the flexible filter membrane distal portion to at least the flexible filter membrane proximal portion, wherein said filter membrane distal portion is pivotally attached to the guidewire near said distal end of the guidewire and wherein the filter membrane proximal free end portion is substantially parallel to the guidewire in its collapsed state, and deploying means operatively connected to the filter to cause the filter membrane proximal free end portion to move from a position substantially parallel to the guidewire to a position removed from the longitudinal axis of the guidewire to cause the flexible filter membrane to form a substantially conical shape to form a generally sealing relationship with the wall of said vessel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A removable percutaneous vascular filter system for blocking micro- and macro-emboli while allowing continued perfusion of blood, comprising:
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a guidewire having distal and proximal portions, wherein there is a recess in the distal portion, the recess having distal and proximal ends, a filter comprising (a) a non-metallic, porous, flexible filter membrane having a distal portion and a proximal free end portion and (b) a filter membrane support structure extending from the flexible filter membrane distal portion to at least the flexible filter membrane proximal portion, wherein the flexible membrane distal portion is pivotally attached to the guidewire near the distal end of the guidewire recess and wherein the flexible membrane proximal free end portion is positioned in the recess when the filter membrane is in a collapsed state, and deploying means operatively connected to the filter to cause the filter membrane proximal free end portion to move from a position substantially parallel to the guidewire to a position removed from the longitudinal axis of the guidewire to cause the flexible filter membrane to form a substantially conical shape to form a generally sealing relationship with the wall of said vessel. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of treating diseased corporeal blood vessels in a patient, comprising the steps of:
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(a) percutaneously inserting a removable vascular filter system comprising;
a guidewire having distal and proximal ends, a filter comprising (1) a non-metallic, porous, flexible filter membrane having a distal portion and a proximal free end portion and (b) a filter membrane support structure extending from the flexible filter membrane distal portion to at least the flexible filter membrane proximal portion, wherein said filter membrane distal portion is pivotally attached to the guidewire near said distal end of the guidewire and wherein the filter membrane proximal free end portion is substantially parallel to the guidewire in its collapsed state, and deploying means operatively connected to the filter to cause the filter membrane proximal free end portion to move from a position substantially parallel to the guidewire to a position removed from the longitudinal axis of the guidewire to cause the flexible filter membrane to form a substantially conical shape to form a generally sealing relationship with the wall of said vessel, into a diseased blood vessel to position the filter distal to a diseased segment of the vessel;
(b) deploying the filter;
(c) advancing a therapeutic catheter distally over the guidewire to the diseased segment;
(d) treating the diseased segment with the therapeutic catheter, whereby any loosened fragments from the diseased segment are carried distally by blood flow and are captured by the deployed filter;
(e) withdrawing the therapeutic catheter from the blood vessel;
(f) collapsing the filter with any trapped fragments; and
(g) withdrawing the vascular filter system from the blood vessel. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A method of percutaneously capturing emboli after a surgical or interventional procedure in a patient, comprising the steps of:
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(a) percutaneously inserting a removable vascular filter system comprising;
a guidewire having distal and proximal ends, a filter comprising (1) a non-metallic, porous, flexible filter membrane having a distal portion and a proximal free end portion and (b) a filter membrane support structure extending from the flexible filter membrane distal portion to at least the flexible filter membrane proximal portion, wherein said filter membrane distal portion is pivotably attached to the guidewire near said distal end of the guidewire and wherein the filter membrane proximal free end portion is substantially parallel to the guidewire in its collapsed state, and deploying means operatively connected to the filter to cause the filter membrane proximal free end portion to move from a position substantially parallel to the guidewire to a position removed from the longitudinal axis of the guidewire to cause the flexible filter membrane to form a substantially conical shape to form a generally sealing relationship with the wall of said vessel, into a diseased blood vessel to position the filter distal to a diseased segment of the vessel;
(b) deploying the filter;
(c) collapsing the filter with any trapped emboli; and
(d) withdrawing the guidewire from the blood vessel. - View Dependent Claims (19)
advancing a therapeutic catheter distally over the guidewire to a diseased segment, treating the diseased segment with the therapeutic catheter, whereby any loosened fragments from the diseased segment are carried distally by blood flow and are captured by the deployed filter, and withdrawing the therapeutic catheter from the blood vessel.
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20. A removable percutaneous vascular filter system for blocking micro- and macro-emboli while allowing continued perfusion of blood, comprising:
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a guidewire having distal and proximal ends, a filter comprising (a) a non-metallic, porous, flexible filter membrane having a distal portion and a proximal free end portion and (b) a filter membrane support structure extending from the flexible filter membrane distal portion to at least the flexible filter membrane proximal portion, wherein said flexible filter membrane distal portion is pivotally attached to the guidewire near said distal end of the guidewire and wherein the filter membrane proximal free end portion is substantially parallel to the guidewire in its collapsed state; and
a control handle at the distal end of the guidewire, the control handle being operatively connected to the filter to cause the filter membrane proximal free end portion to move from a position substantially parallel to the guidewire to a position removed from the longitudinal axis of the guidewire to cause the flexible filter membrane to form a substantially conical shape to form a generally sealing relationship with the wall of said vessel.
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21. A percutaneous vascular filter system comprising:
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a guidewire having proximal and distal ends, a filter concentrically arranged around said guidewire, said filter comprising (a) a non-metallic, porous, flexible membrane having a distal portion and a proximal free end portion and (b) a filter membrane support structure extending from the flexible filter membrane distal portion to at least the flexible membrane proximal portion, wherein the flexible membrane distal portion is pivotally attached to the guidewire adjacent its distal end and the proximal end of the filter is attached to the guidewire, and a sheath concentrically arranged around the guidewire and having proximal and distal ends, the distal end of the sheath having a lumen of sufficient diameter to slide over the proximal portion of the filter. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A percutaneous vascular filter system comprising:
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a guidewire having proximal and distal ends, and a filter comprising (a) a non-metallic, porous, flexible filter membrane having a distal portion and a proximal free end portion and (b) a filter membrane support structure extending from the flexible filter membrane distal portion to at least the flexible filter membrane proximal portion, the filter concentrically arranged around said guidewire, the distal end of the filter being attached to the guidewire adjacent its distal end and the proximal end of the filter being attached to the guidewire. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification