Filter flush system and methods of use

• US 6,620,148 B1
• Filed: 09/29/2000
• Issued: 09/16/2003
• 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): Casler, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, CATHERINE SERKE
• Application Number:
  US09/676,028
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• Field of Search: 604/96.01, 604/104, 604/105, 604/106, 604/107, 604/500, 604/508, 604/509, 604/523, 606/191, 606/194, 606/192, 606/198, 606/200
• US Class Current: 604/509
• 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 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 a 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 balloon proximal the region of interest;

expanding the balloon;

flushing the embolic debris towards the expandable filter through the port of the guiding catheter, whereby the filter collects the embolic debris; and

removing the filter containing the collect embolic debris material from the vessels.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the region of interest is the carotid artery.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the region of interest is the subclavian vein.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the region of interest is the iliac vein.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the step of inserting an angioplasty catheter having a distally located balloon over the guidewire and within the lumen of the guiding catheter and advancing the angioplasty catheter to the region of interest, and inflating the balloon of the angioplasty catheter to dilate a stenosis within the region of interest.

6. The method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the angioplasty catheter includes a stent, and wherein the step of inflating the balloon causes radial expansion of the stent against the stenosis.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the step of inserting a stent-deployment catheter over the guidewire and within the lumen of the guiding catheter and advancing the stent-deployment catheter to the region of interest, the stent-deployment catheter comprising a self-expanding stent within a sheath, and retracting the sheath to release the self-expanding stent within the region on interest.

8. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the step of infusing fluid through the lumen of the guiding catheter to flush atheromatous material into the expandable filter.

9. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the step of aspirating fluid distal the balloon.

10. The method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the fluid is oxygenated blood.

11. The method in according with claim 1, wherein removing the filter containing the collected embolic debris comprises withdrawing the guidewire through the guiding catheter.