Embolic filter frame having looped support strut elements

• US 8,231,650 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2004
• Issued: 07/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Original Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Inventors: Cully, Edward H., Vonesh, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Victor
• Application Number:
  US11/020,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20050101989A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,778 Days
• Field of Search: 606/159, 606/194, 606/198, 606/200, 604/22, 604/96, 604/96.01, 604/103.01
• US Class Current: 606/200
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0105 Open ended, i.e. legs gathered only at one side
• 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: B23P 11/00 Connecting or disconnecting metal parts or objects by metal-working techniques not otherwise provided for connecting sheet metal or metal tubes, rods or profiles B21D39/00; riveting B21J; soldering, unsoldering, welding B23K; hand tools for connecting wire or strip B25B25/00; connecting metal parts by adhesives F16B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

An improved embolic filter frame having looped support struts. The frame configuration provides enhanced longitudinal compliance, improved sealing against a vessel wall, low profile delivery, and a short deployed length. The looped support struts have a high degree of “radial” stiffness with a low degree of “longitudinal” stiffness. In the deployed state, the frame exerts a relatively high stress onto a vessel wall to maintain an effective seal, yet remains compliant in the longitudinal direction. Minor displacements of the support wire or catheter are therefore not translated to the filter. The looped support struts elongate when tensioned and assume a compressed and essentially linear form. While constrained in this linear state by a delivery catheter, the support struts exert minimal stress onto the delivery system. The overall delivery profile and stiffness are therefore reduced. When the delivery catheter constraint is removed during deployment, the struts “snap open” and assume a looped configuration which exert a high degree of force onto the vessel wall, creating an enhanced filter to vessel wall seal. In addition, the looped struts and the central collar connecting the support struts to the support wire, are positioned essentially within the plane of the filter opening. The overall deployed length of the embolic filter is therefore reduced.

Claims

1. An embolic filter comprising:

a support wire;

an embolic filter frame having a filter support portion which is circumferentially disposed about the support wire and multiple support struts, each of the multiple support struts affixed to a collar and mounted to the support wire via the collar;

the support struts extending radially from the support wire;

at least one support strut having a looped configuration when not in tension in a deployed state;

the at least one support strut positioned essentially within a plane of an opening of the filter when in the non-tensioned state; and

a filter element attached to the filter support portion.

2. The embolic filter of claim 1 wherein the multiple support struts have looped configurations.

3. The embolic filter of claim 1 wherein at least one support strut projects a looped configuration in two orthogonal views.

4. The embolic filter of claim 1 wherein at least one support strut has an “

s”

shape.

5. An embolic filter comprising:

a support wire;

an embolic filter frame including multiple support struts that are affixed to a collar and mounted to the support wire via the collar, the multiple support struts extending radially from the support wire;

the struts having a constrained delivery state and a non-tensioned deployed state wherein the struts in the constrained delivery state have an essentially linear form;

at least one strut having a loop configuration when in the non-tensioned deployed state;

the at least one strut positioned essentially within a plane of an opening of the filter when in the non-tensioned state; and

a filter element attached to the frame.

6. The embolic filter of claim 5 further comprising at least three looped support struts.

7. The embolic filter of claim 5 further comprising at least three looped support struts.

8. An endoluminal filter assembly comprising

a filter element;

a support wire;

a filter frame comprising at least two “

s”

shaped support struts attaching the filter element to the support wire via a collar;

the two “

s”

shaped supports struts having an elongated configuration and a deployed configuration wherein the two “

s”

shaped struts each have two opposite bends greater than or equal to 90 degrees wherein the deployed configuration forms an “

s”

shape with the struts positioned essentially within a plane of an opening of the filter;

the support struts in the elongated configuration having an essentially linear form.

9. The endoluminal filter assembly of claim 8 wherein the filter frame is slidably attached to the support wire.

10. An embolic filter comprising:

a filter element;

a support wire;

a filter frame comprising at least two “

s”

shaped support struts attaching the filter element to the support wire via a collar;

the two “

s”

shaped struts having two opposite bends greater than or equal to 90 degrees; and

the two “

s”

shaped support struts having an elongated configuration wherein the support struts assume a curvilinear configuration and a deployed configuration wherein the deployed configuration forms an “

s”

shape with the struts positioned essentially within a plane of an opening of the filter.

11. An embolic filter comprising:

a support wire;

an embolic filter frame having a longitudinal axis and including multiple support struts affixed to a collar and mounted to the support wire via the collar, the multiple support struts extending radially from the support wire;

the struts having a constrained delivery state and a non-tensioned deployed state;

at least one strut having a loop configuration when in the non-tensioned deployed state;

the at least one strut positioned essentially within a plane of an opening of the filter when in the non-tensioned state;

the at least one strut having a rotation about the longitudinal axis; and

a filter element attached to the frame.