Embolic protection system
First Claim
1. A method of loading an embolic protection filter into a catheter, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing an embolic protection filter, the embolic protection filter being collapsible;
providing a catheter defining a reception space at a distal end of the catheter for receiving the collapsed embolic protection filter, the catheter comprising an internal proximal stop;
providing a loading device to collapse the embolic protection filter, the loading device defining an inlet end and an outlet end;
aligning the outlet end of the loading device with the reception space;
delivering the embolic protection filter through the loading device and into the reception space;
moving the collapsed embolic protection filter towards the reception space to engage said internal proximal stop; and
disassociating the loaded catheter from the loading device.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An assembly for loading a collapsible embolic protection filter 1 into a catheter 2, comprises a catheter 2 defining a reception space at a distal end of the catheter 2 for receiving a collapsed embolic protection filter 1; and a separate removable pushing device 8 for delivering the embolic protection filter 1 into the reception space. The pushing device 8 comprises an elongate stem 71 with a proximal stop 72 for engagement with the filter 1. A separate loading device 7 to collapse the embolic protection filter 1 is also provided. The loading device 7 defines an inlet end and an outlet end, the outlet end being configured for co-operative alignment with the reception space.
281 Citations
63 Claims
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1. A method of loading an embolic protection filter into a catheter, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing an embolic protection filter, the embolic protection filter being collapsible;
providing a catheter defining a reception space at a distal end of the catheter for receiving the collapsed embolic protection filter, the catheter comprising an internal proximal stop;
providing a loading device to collapse the embolic protection filter, the loading device defining an inlet end and an outlet end;
aligning the outlet end of the loading device with the reception space;
delivering the embolic protection filter through the loading device and into the reception space;
moving the collapsed embolic protection filter towards the reception space to engage said internal proximal stop; and
disassociating the loaded catheter from the loading device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 63)
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9. A vascular filter assembly and assembly for loading the vascular filter assembly comprising:
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a vascular filter assembly for removing embolic material in body fluid flowing within a vessel, the vascular filter assembly having an expanded state and a pre-deployment collapsed state and comprising;
a filter element, the filter element comprising a filter membrane and a filter support frame for the membrane;
the filter support frame being collapsed in the pre-deployment state and the filter support frame being expanded in the expanded state;
the filter element having at least one inlet opening at a proximal end of the filter element and a plurality of outlet openings towards a distal end of the filter element, the outlet openings allowing body fluid to flow through the filter element but retaining embolic material within the filter element, and the inlet opening being larger than any of the outlet openings;
a lumen extending through the filter element from the proximal end of the filter element to the distal end of the filter element; and
an abutment coupled to the filter element;
a delivery catheter, the delivery catheter including a reception space at a distal end of the delivery catheter for receiving the filter assembly in the pre-deployment collapsed state; and
an urging device delivering the filter assembly into the reception space of the delivery catheter, the urging device being engagable with the abutment in the expanded state of the filter assembly to assist in collapsing the filter assembly from the expanded state to the collapsed pre-deployment state. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method for loading an vascular filter assembly into a delivery catheter prior to deploying the filter assembly in a patient, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a vascular filter assembly having an expanded state and a pre-deployment collapsed state, the filter assembly comprising;
a filter element, the filter element comprising a filter membrane and a filter support frame for the membrane;
the filter support frame being collapsed in the pre-deployment state and the filter support frame being expanded in the expanded state;
the filter element having at least one inlet opening at a proximal end of the filter element and a plurality of outlet openings towards a distal end of the filter element, the outlet openings allowing body fluid to flow through the filter element but retaining embolic material within the filter element, and the inlet opening being larger than any of the outlet openings;
a lumen extending through the filter element from the proximal end of the filter element to the distal end of the filter element; and
an abutment coupled to the filter element;
providing a delivery catheter, the delivery catheter including a reception space at a distal end thereof;
providing an urging device;
engaging the urging device with the abutment in the expanded state of the filter assembly; and
using the urging device to move the filter assembly towards the pre-deployment collapsed state and deliver the filter assembly into the reception space in the delivery catheter. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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Specification