Intravascular blood filter

• US 8,372,108 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2010
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Claret Medical, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Lashinski, Randall T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Gary
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLATT, ERIC D
• Application Number:
  US12/689,997
• Publication Number:
  US 20100185231A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 606/200
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/012 Multiple filtering units
• 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 2230/0008 elliptical or oval
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0067 conical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0069 cylindrical

Abstract

Disclosed is a novel filter and delivery means. The device described within will not interfere with standard practice and tools used during standard surgical procedures and tools such as cannulas, clamps or dissection instruments including valve replacement sizing gages or other surgical procedures where the patient must be put on a heart-lung machine cross-clamping the aorta.

Claims

1. A method of filtering a subject'"'"'s blood to prevent foreign material from traveling into the carotid circulation, comprising:

providing a filter system comprising a first tubular member to which a first filter is mounted and a second tubular member to which a second filter is mounted, wherein the first and second tubular members are disposed in a coaxial manner and moveable relative to each other to provide for relative motion between the first and second filters;

introducing the filter system into the subject and advancing the filter system into the subject'"'"'s right subclavian artery; and

expanding the first and second filters in a manner such that the second filter is expanded in the subject'"'"'s brachiocephalic trunk and the first filter is introduced in a collapsed configuration and expanded in the subject'"'"'s left common carotid artery.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

advancing the first filter relative to the second filter and expanding the first filter in the subject'"'"'s left common carotid artery wherein expanding the first filter in the left common carotid artery occurs prior to the expansion of the second filter in the brachiocephalic trunk.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein expanding the first and second filters comprises positioning the first and second filters in opposite directions relative to one another.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

providing a guidewire over which the first and second tubular members are advanced;

advancing at least the first tubular member over the guidewire to position the first filter in the left common carotid artery; and

expanding the first filter in the left common carotid artery.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first tubular member has a distal end and further comprising the step of actively and controllably shaping the distal end of the first tubular member to access the left common carotid artery.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the steps of:

providing a handle mechanism external to the subject having an actuation member for controllably shaping the distal end of the first tubular member; and

actuating the actuation member to controllably shape the distal end of the first tubular member.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of actuating the actuation member comprises applying tension to the distal end of the first tubular member through a pull wire.