Distal protection filter
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A filter assembly for capturing debris within a blood vessel, comprising:
- an elongate shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;
a filter disposed proximate the distal end of the elongate shaft, the filter including a filtering region and an attachment region, the filter having an expanded and a contracted shape;
in the expanded shape, the filtering region a major opening defined adjacent the filtering region proximal end and consisting of a single layer of filter membrane defining a filter basket and extending between the major opening and the distal end of the filtering region, the filter membrane having a plurality of apertures defined therein that are configured to allow the passage of blood through the filtering region;
the filter membrane further comprising a first generally linearly tapered portion and a second generally linearly tapered portion, the first generally linearly tapered portion defining a first included angle, and the second generally linearly tapered portion extending proximally from a proximal portion of the first tapered portion, the second generally linearly tapered portion defining a second included angle greater than the first included angle; and
wherein the first generally linearly tapered portion extends at the first included angle for a length of the first generally linearly tapered portion and the second generally linearly tapered portion extends at the second included angle for a length of the second generally linearly tapered portion;
wherein the filter assembly further comprises an expandable frame disposed within and supporting the first generally linearly tapered portion and the second generally linearly tapered portion.
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Abstract
Methods and devices for capturing debris within a blood vessel are disclosed. A filter assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises an elongate shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, and a filter fixed to the elongate shaft proximate the distal end thereof. A filter assembly in accordance with the present invention may further include a means for reducing the volume of the debris that is disposed within the filter.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A filter assembly for capturing debris within a blood vessel, comprising:
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an elongate shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; a filter disposed proximate the distal end of the elongate shaft, the filter including a filtering region and an attachment region, the filter having an expanded and a contracted shape; in the expanded shape, the filtering region a major opening defined adjacent the filtering region proximal end and consisting of a single layer of filter membrane defining a filter basket and extending between the major opening and the distal end of the filtering region, the filter membrane having a plurality of apertures defined therein that are configured to allow the passage of blood through the filtering region; the filter membrane further comprising a first generally linearly tapered portion and a second generally linearly tapered portion, the first generally linearly tapered portion defining a first included angle, and the second generally linearly tapered portion extending proximally from a proximal portion of the first tapered portion, the second generally linearly tapered portion defining a second included angle greater than the first included angle; and wherein the first generally linearly tapered portion extends at the first included angle for a length of the first generally linearly tapered portion and the second generally linearly tapered portion extends at the second included angle for a length of the second generally linearly tapered portion; wherein the filter assembly further comprises an expandable frame disposed within and supporting the first generally linearly tapered portion and the second generally linearly tapered portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A filter assembly for capturing debris within a blood vessel, comprising:
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an elongate shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; a filter disposed proximate the distal end of the elongate shaft, the filter having an expanded and a contracted shape, the filter including a filtering region and an attachment region, the filtering region defining a major opening adjacent a proximal end of the filtering region; the attachment region comprising at least one strut extending proximally from adjacent the major opening to the elongate shaft; in the expanded shape, the filtering region consisting of a single layer of filter membrane defining a filter basket and extending between the major opening and the distal end of the filtering region, the filter membrane having a plurality of apertures defined therein that are configured to allow the passage of blood through the filtering region; the filtering region further comprising a first generally linearly tapered portion and a second generally linearly tapered portion, the first generally linearly tapered portion defining a first included angle and the second generally linearly tapered portion defining a second included angle which is different than the first included angle; and wherein the first generally linearly tapered portion extends at the first included angle for a length of the first generally linearly tapered portion and the second generally linearly tapered portion extends at the second included angle for a length of the second generally linearly tapered portion; wherein the filter assembly further comprises an expandable frame disposed within and supporting the first generally linearly tapered portion and the second generally linearly tapered portion. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification