Multiple access vein filter

• US 7,887,561 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2004
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: REX Medical LP
• Original Assignee: REX Medical LP
• Inventors: Briganti, Richard T., McGuckin, James F. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Anhtuan T
• Assistant Examiner(s): SONNETT, KATHLEEN C
• Application Number:
  US10/919,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20050080447A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,373 Days
• Field of Search: 606/200, 606/110, 606/113, 606/127, 606/114, 606/128, 606/108, 606/191, 606/194, 623/23.72
• US Class Current: 606/200
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2212 having a closed distal end, e.g. a loop
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0103 With centering means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0108 Both ends closed, i.e. legs gathered at both ends
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/011 Instruments for their placement or removal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/012 Multiple filtering units
• 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 2230/0078 hyperboloidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/008 paraboloidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0091 helically-coiled or spirally-coiled, i.e. having a 2-D spiral cross-section

Abstract

A vessel filter comprising first and second filtering portions and first and second anchoring portions. A transverse dimension of the first filtering portion in an expanded configuration is less than a transverse dimension of the anchoring portion in an expanded configuration, and a transverse dimension of the second filtering portion is less than a transverse dimension of the second anchoring portion. The first and second filtering portions are positioned closer to each other than the first and second anchoring portions, and the anchoring portions are formed on first and second opposite portions of the vessel filter. Preferably a sleeve is positioned between the first and second filter portions.

Claims

1. A method of implanting a vein filter in the inferior vena cava of a patient comprising:

inserting through a femoral vein, superior vena cava or an internal jugular vein a catheter having a filter positioned therein in a collapsed configuration so that a first, second and third wire of the filter are in a substantially elongated configuration;

delivering cold saline into the catheter to maintain the filter in the collapsed configuration;

releasing the filter from the catheter to enable the filter to move to an expanded configuration in response to warming by exposure to body temperature, the step of releasing the filter causing the filter to move to the expanded configuration such that a pair of axially spaced looped mounting portions, each having a converging region extending from a respective first and second sleeve, expand to a first diameter to contact the vessel, and several of the looped mounting portions form an open loop region that extends from a first side of a longitudinal axis of the filter to a second side of the longitudinal axis, and further wherein the step of releasing the filter causes a pair of axially spaced looped filter portions, each having a converging region extending from a respective opposite end of a third cylindrical sleeve positioned between the filter portions, to expand to a second diameter smaller that the larger first diameter, with the looped filter portions being axially spaced from the looped mounting portions in the vessel, and the mounting portions being at a proximalmost end portion and at a distalmost end portion of the filter and the filter portion converging regions positioned between the mounting portions and progressively increasing in diameter, wherein the second smaller diameter filter portions are only positioned closer to a center of the filter than the first larger diameter looped mounted portions, wherein the wires extend from the first sleeve to one of the sides of the longitudinal axis then loop to extend to the other side of the longitudinal axis and then loop to extend back to the other side of the longitudinal axis and then extend into the third cylindrical sleeve, wherein the wires form loops which are out of phase with the loops of adjacent wires, the wires containing multiple points of inflection.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of opening a valve to enable infusion of cold saline into the catheter.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of releasing the filter initially ejects a first of the pair of mounting portions and a first of the pair of filter portions.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of releasing the filter comprises withdrawing the catheter to expose the filter.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of releasing the filter comprises withdrawing the catheter to expose the filter.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein in the step of releasing the filter, the wires from a series of loops which are about 120 degrees out of phase.

7. A method of implanting a vein filter in the inferior vena cava of a patient comprising:

providing a filter having a filter portion and a first mounting portion and a second mounting portion on a opposite end from the first mounting portion wherein each portion includes a plurality of looped portions extending radially with respect to a longitudinal axis of the filter;

inserting intravascularly a catheter having the filter positioned therein in a collapsed configuration so that the filter is in a substantially elongated configuration, the filter composed of a shape memory material and having first and second end portions;

delivering cold saline into the catheter to maintain the filter in the collapsed configuration;

releasing the filter from the catheter to enable the filter to move to an expanded austenitic configuration in response to warming by exposure to body temperature, in the expanded configuration a mounting portion of the filter at the first end portion expands to a first diameter to contact the vena cava and a filter portion at the second end portion expands to a second diameter smaller than the first diameter, spaced from an internal wall of the vena cava and having a converging region at an end opposite the mounting portion so the diameter of the filter portion progressively increases in diameter from the filter portion toward the mounting portion wherein the mounting portion includes a converging region and the filter portion and mounting portion include a plurality of looped portions connected only at the converging regions, the loops formed by wires and the wires each form the plurality of loops which are out of phase with the loop of an adjacent wire, and the converging regions include a cylindrical sleeve from which the looped portions extend, the cylindrical sleeve of the converging regions being positioned at the proximalmost and distalmost ends of the filter, the looped portions of the filter portion including a plurality of loops positioned axially with respect to each other having different transverse dimensions along the longitudinal axis of the filter and wherein the step of releasing the filter causes the looped portions of the filter portion to expand to varying transverse dimensions along the longitudinal axis such that apices of the looped portions have varying radial distances from the longitudinal axis of the filter, and causes looped portions of the first mounting portion and second mounting portion to engage a portion of a wall of the inferior vena cava with the expanded filter portion extending between the first and second mounting portions, the wires containing multiple points of inflection.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of opening a valve to enable infusion of cold saline into the catheter.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein a rod within the catheter prevents proximal movement of the filter during the step of releasing the filter.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of releasing the filter comprises withdrawing the catheter to expose the filter.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of releasing the filter comprises withdrawing the catheter to expose the filter.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of releasing the filter enables anchoring members to engage a wall of the vena cava.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein in the step of releasing the filter a diameter of the cylindrical sleeve of the converging regions remains the same.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of releasing the filter enables anchoring members to engage a wall of the vena cava.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of providing a filter includes the step of providing a filter with a second filter portion and sleeve positioned between the filter portions, wherein the step of releasing the filter causes looped portions of the second filter portion to expand.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein in the step of releasing the filter, the wires form a series of loops which are about 120 degrees out of phase.