Support frame for an embolic protection device

• US 8,114,115 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2007
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Salviac Ltd. (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: Salviac Ltd. (Abbott Laboratories)
• Inventors: Brady, Eamon, Vale, David, Kelly, Ronald, Neilan, John, Horan, Steven, Rabitte, Gerard, McCaffrey, Gerry
• Primary Examiner(s): TRUONG, KEVIN THAO
• Application Number:
  US11/762,259
• Publication Number:
  US 20070233180A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,707 Days
• Field of Search: 606/113, 606/114, 606/127, 606/159, 606/200
• US Class Current: 606/200
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2212 having a closed distal end, e.g. a loop
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2215 having an open distal end
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0108 Both ends closed, i.e. legs gathered at both ends
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/016 made from wire-like elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/018 made from tubes or sheets of material, e.g. by etching or laser-cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0067 conical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0093 Umbrella-shaped, e.g. mushroom-shaped

Abstract

A support 103 for an embolic protection device comprises round wires 116 which may form one or more support hoops for a filter body. The circumferential hoop formed by the wires 116 ensures that in the expanded position, the filter body 102 will be supported by the support frame 103 in circumferential apposition with the interior wall of the vasculature. The wires 116 may have a strain distributing linkage element in the form of a loop 120. The loop 120 acts as a diameter or circumference adjuster allowing an embolic protection device to adapt to different Bessel contours and sizes whilst maintaining apposition with the vessel wall. The strain relieving geometry of the loops enhances the compliance of the bend points without creating a weakened hinge point, thus ensuring that there is no discontinuity in the circumferential seal against the vessel wall.

Claims

1. An embolic protection filter comprising:

a filter body having an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end of the filter body having one or more inlet openings sized to allow blood and embolic material enter the filter body, the outlet end of the filter body having a plurality of outlet openings sized to allow through passage of blood but to retain undesired embolic material within the filter body; and

a filter support movable between a collapsed position for movement through the vascular system and an extended outwardly projecting position to support the filter body in the expanded position, the filter support comprising two wires, a proximal end and a distal end; and

in the extended outwardly projecting position, from the proximal end of the filter support the two wires extend together axially and radially outwardly in a first support leg to a first termination point where the two wires separate and extend circumferentially around the filter body to define a support hoop;

wherein the two wires are fixed relative to one another at the first termination point by a restraining member disposed around a portion of the first support leg.

2. A filter as claimed in claim 1, wherein each round wire of the support hoop defines a strain distributing linking element.

3. A filter as claimed in claim 2, wherein the support hoop is pivotably movable relative to the strain distributing linking element upon movement of the filter support between the collapsed position and the extended outwardly projecting position.

4. A filter as claimed in claim 2, wherein the strain distributing linking element comprises a bent portion of the wire.

5. A filter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the filter support comprises a coupling part for coupling the filter to a guidewire, proximal ends of the two wires are connected to the coupling part, and the support leg extends distally from the coupling part.

6. A filter as claimed in claim 5, wherein the coupling part defines a lumen therethrough through which a guidewire is insertable.

7. A filter as claimed in claim 5, wherein the coupling part comprises a tube.

8. A filter as claimed in claim 5, wherein both ends of each wire are fixed to the coupling member.

9. A filter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two wires define the first support leg and a second support leg, and

in the extended outwardly projecting position, from the proximal end of the filter support the two wires extend together in the distal direction axially and radially outwardly in the first support leg to the first termination point where the two wires separate and extend circumferentially around the filter body to a second termination point to define the support hoop, where the two wires extend together in the proximal direction axially radially inwardly in the second support leg to the proximal end of the filter support.

10. A filter as claimed in claim 9, wherein the two wires are fixed relative to one another at the second termination point by a second restraining member disposed around a portion of the second support leg.

11. A filer as claimed in claim 10, wherein the restraining member is a tubular polymeric sleeve, the first support leg disposed within a lumen of the first tubular polymeric sleeve;

and

the second restraining member is a second tubular polymeric sleeve, the second support leg disposed within a lumen of the second tubular polymeric sleeve.

12. A filter as claimed in claim 11, wherein one or both of the first tubular polymeric sleeve and the second tubular polymeric sleeve comprises a radiopaque material.

13. A filter as claimed in claim 11, wherein both ends of each wire fixed to a tubular carrier for coupling the filter support to a guidewire.

14. A filter as claimed in claim 9, wherein in the collapsed position., each support leg extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the filter.

15. A filter as claimed in claim 9, wherein both ends of each wire are fixed to a tubular carrier for coupling the filter support to a guidewire.

16. A filer as claimed in claim 10, wherein the restraining member is a first clamping wire wound around the first support leg;

and

the second restraining member is a second clamping wire wound around the second support leg.

17. A filter as claimed in claim 16, wherein one or both of the first clamping wire and the second clamping wire is radiopaque.

18. A filter as claimed in claim 10, wherein the length of the restraining member is shorter than the length of the first support leg such that the two wires extend proximally out of one end of the restraining member and distally out of the other end of the restraining member, and the length of the second restraining member is shorter than the length of the second support leg such that the two wires extend proximally out of one end of the second restraining member and distally out of the other end of the second restraining member.

19. A filter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the restraining member is a tubular polymeric sleeve the first support leg disposed within a lumen of the sleeve.

20. A filter as claimed in claim 19, wherein the sleeve comprises a radiopaque material.

21. A filter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the restraining member is a clamping wire wound around the first support leg.

22. A filter as claimed in claim 21, wherein the clamping wire is radiopaque.

23. A filter as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the extended outwardly projecting position, the support hoop extends circumferentially in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the filter.

24. A filter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the length of the restraining member is shorter than the length of the first support leg such that the two wires extend proximally out of one end of the restraining member and distally out of the other end of the restraining member.

25. A filter as claimed in claim 24, wherein the two wires define the first support leg and a second support leg,

in the extended outwardly projecting position, from the proximal end of the filter support the two wires extend together in the distal direction axially and radially outwardly in the first support leg to the first termination point where the two wires separate and extend circumferentially around the filter body to a second termination point to define the support hoop where the two wires meet and extend together in the proximal direction axially radially inwardly in the second support leg to the proximal end of the filter support, and

two wires are fixed relative to one another at the second termination point by soldering the wires together along a distal portion of the second support leg.

26. An embolic protection filter comprising:

a filter body having an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end of the filter body having one or more inlet openings sized to allow blood and embolic material enter the filter body, the outlet end of the filter body having a plurality of outlet openings sized to allow through passage of blood but to retain undesired embolic material within the filter body, the filter body comprising a flexible polymeric membrane;

a filter support movable between a collapsed position for movement through the vascular system and an extended outwardly projecting position to support the flexible polymeric membrane in the expanded position, the filter support comprising two wires extending together in a side-by-side arrangement to define a first segment of a filter support path, and

in the extended outwardly projection position, a tubular polymeric sleeve is disposed around the two wires along a portion of the first segment of the filter support path to fix the two wires relative to one another.

27. A filter as claimed in claim 26, wherein the length of the tubular polymeric sleeve is shorter than the length of the first segment of the filter support path such that the two wires extend proximally out of one end of the tubular polymeric sleeve and distally out of the other end of the polymeric sleeve.

28. An embolic protection filter comprising:

a filter body having an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end of the filter body having one or more inlet openings sized to allow blood and embolic material enter the filter body, the outlet end of the filter body having a plurality of outlet openings sized to allow through passage of blood but to retain undesired embolic material within the filter body; and

a filter support movable between a collapsed position for movement through the vascular system and an extended outwardly projecting position to support the filter body in the expanded position, the filter support comprising two wires, a proximal end and a distal end; and

in the extended outwardly projecting position, from the proximal end of the filter support the two wires extend together axially and radially outwardly in a first support leg to a first termination point where the two wires separate and extend circumferentially around the filter body to define a support hoop;

wherein the two wires are fixed relative to one another at the first termination point by soldering the wires together along a distal portion of the first support leg.