Method and device for filtering body fluid

• US 7,367,986 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2005
• Issued: 05/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ev3, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: ev3, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Mazzocchi, Rudy, Claude, Timothy, Segermark, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui; Vy Q.
• Application Number:
  US11/121,740
• Publication Number:
  US 20050203573A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: 606/200, 606/108, 606/159, 606191-198, 623/1.11, 623/1.12
• US Class Current: 606/200
• 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 17/12099 characterised by the location of the occluder
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12109 in a blood vessel
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12136 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12172 having a pre-set deployed three-dimensional shape methods of manufacturing A61B2017/00526
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12177 comprising additional materials, e.g. thrombogenic, having filaments, having fibers or being coated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/221 Gripping devices in the form of loops or baskets for gripping calculi or similar types of obstructions surgical snare instruments A61B17/32056
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00526 Methods of manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0105 Open ended, i.e. legs gathered only at one side
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/011 Instruments for their placement or removal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/016 made from wire-like elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0006 circular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0067 conical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0069 cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0078 hyperboloidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/008 paraboloidal
• CPC Class Codes: B21F 45/008 of medical instruments, e.g. stents, corneal rings medical science A61

Abstract

Medical devices for filtering fluids flowing through a lumen and a method of forming medical devices. The devices can be used in vascular channels, urinary tracts, biliary ducts and the like, and filter emboli and other debris generated at a treatment site.

Claims

1. A method of protecting a patient from embolization during a percutaneous procedure at a site of stenosis within a vessel, comprising:

providing a guidewire having proximal and distal ends, a proximal and a distal region, and an expandable filter associated with the distal region, the filter being expandable from a collapsed delivery configuration to an expanded deployed configuration;

providing a retrieval catheter having proximal and distal ends and a lumen sized to receive the guidewire;

introducing the distal end of the guidewire into the patient'"'"'s vessel with the filter in the collapsed delivery configuration;

advancing the filter downstream of the stenosis, wherein the guidewire and expandable filter cross the stenosis;

expanding the expandable filter;

advancing a treatment catheter over the guidewire to position the treatment catheter at the site of stenosis within the vessel;

urging the stenosis radially outwardly against a wall of the vessel wherein embolic material is generated and captured before the expandable filter is removed from the patient'"'"'s vessel;

removing the treatment catheter from the vessel;

after the treatment catheter has been removed introducing the distal end of the retrieval catheter into the vessel; and

advancing the retrieval catheter over the guidewire to retrieve the filter.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the filter is expanded before the treatment catheter is advanced over the guidewire.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the filter is expanded before the stenosis is urged radially outwardly.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the filter is self-expanding.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the expandable filter has proximal and distal ends and wherein the distal end of the expandable filter is connected to a distal band which encircles the guidewire.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the distal band is connected in a fixed position on the guidewire.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the expandable filter has proximal and distal ends and wherein the proximal end of the expandable filter is connected to a tube which encircles the guidewire.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the tube is slidably disposed about the guidewire.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the expandable filter comprises a metal.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the metal comprises nitinol.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the filter is fixed to the guidewire.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing an elongate tubular member which covers the filter and wherein expanding the expandable filter comprises advancing the expandable filter distally beyond a distal end of the elongate tubular member.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the expandable filter comprises a filter mesh.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the filter mesh comprises a metal.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the metal comprises nitinol.

16. A method of protecting a patient from embolization during a percutaneous procedure at a site of stenosis within a vessel, comprising:

introducing the distal end of a guidewire into the patient'"'"'s vessel;

advancing the guidewire through the vessel to position a distal end of the guidewire downstream of the stenosis;

advancing a treatment catheter over the guidewire to position the treatment catheter at the site of stenosis within the vessel;

performing a treatment at the site of stenosis including urging the stenosis radially outwardly against a wall of the vessel wherein embolic material is generated;

capturing the embolic material released into blood during the treatment at a location between the site of stenosis and the distal end of the guidewire;

removing the treatment catheter from the vessel while the captured embolic material remains in the vessel;

after the treatment catheter has been removed introducing the distal end of a retrieval catheter into the vessel;

advancing the retrieval catheter over the guidewire to retrieve the captured embolic material; and

removing the retrieval catheter, guidewire, and captured embolic material from the vessel.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein an intravascular device is carried adjacent a distal end of the guidewire and wherein the method further comprises advancing the intravascular device through the vessel to a location distal to the site of stenosis.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the intravascular device is a filter and wherein capturing the embolize material comprises filtering the embolic material with the filter.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the filter comprises a metal.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the metal comprises nitinol.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the filter includes a filter mesh.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the filter mesh comprises a metal.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the metal comprises nitinol.

24. The method of claim 18 further comprising expanding the filter within the vessel and wherein the filter is expanded before the treatment catheter is advanced over the guidewire.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising providing an elongate tubular member which covers the filter and wherein expanding the expandable filter comprises advancing the expandable filter distally beyond a distal end of the elongate tubular member.

26. The method of claim 18 wherein at least a portion of the filter is self-expanding.

27. The method of claim 18 further comprising expanding the filter within the vessel and wherein the filter is expanded before the stenosis is urged radially outwardly.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising providing an elongate tubular member which covers the filter and wherein expanding the expandable filter comprises advancing the exandable filter distally beyond a distal end of the elongate tubular member.

29. The method of claim 18 wherein the filter has proximal and distal ends and wherein the distal end of the filter is connected to a distal band which encircles the guidewire.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the distal band is connected in a fixed position on the guidewire.

31. The method of claim 18 wherein the filter has proximal and distal ends and wherein the proximal end of the filter is connected to a tube which encircles the guidewire.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the tube is slidably disposed about the guidewire.

33. The method of claim 18 wherein the filter is fixed to the guidewire.