Embolic protection system

Abstract

An embolic protection system 1 comprises a guidewire 99 for advancing through a vasculature, the guidewire 99 having a distal end and a proximal end; an embolic protection filter 1 having a filter body 41 with a distal end and a proximal end, the filter body 41 providing for a collapsed configuration and an expanded deployed configuration. The embolic protection filter body 41 has a guidewire path for slidably receiving the guidewire 99 to permit movement of the filter 1 relative to the guidewire 99 when the filter 1 is in the collapsed configuration and the expanded deployed configuration. A delivery catheter 2 is advanceable over the guidewire 99 for delivery of the embolic protection filter 1 ; the delivery catheter 2 having a proximal end and a distal end. The filter 1 is deployed from the distal end of the delivery catheter 2 into the expanded deployed configuration. A retrieval catheter 3 is also advancable over the guidewire 99 for retrieval of the filter 1 , the retrieval catheter 3 having a distal end and a proximal end; and engagement elements for engaging the embolic protection filter 1 with the guidewire 99 for retrieval of the filter 1 into the retrieval catheter 3 in the collapsed configuration.

1 - 67 . (canceled)  
   
   
       68 . Apparatus for filtering emboli from blood flowing through a vessel, the apparatus comprising: 
 a guide wire having a distal region and a docking member rigidly coupled to the distal region;    a distal cone disposed for translation on the guide wire, the docking member limiting translation of the distal cone in a distal direction; and    a filter sac connected to the distal cone,    wherein the distal cone can be removably coupled to the docking member.    
   
   
       69 . The apparatus of  claim 68  wherein, when the filter sac is deployed in the vessel, rotation or distal translation of the guide wire relative to the distal cone does not displace the filter sac, but retraction of the guide wire in a proximal direction causes the docking member to abut against the distal cone.  
   
   
       70 . The apparatus of  claim 68  wherein the docking member contains a grove and the distal cone contains a locking ring sized for insertion into the grove.  
   
   
       71 . Apparatus for filtering emboli from blood flowing through a vessel, the apparatus comprising: 
 a guide wire having a first portion having a first diameter and a distal region having a second diameter greater than the first diameter; and    a filter element having a distal cone disposed for translation on the first portion, the distal cone having an aperture greater than the first diameter but smaller than the second diameter,    wherein rotation or distal translation of the guide wire relative to the distal cone does not displace the filter element, and    distal cone can be removably coupled to the docking member.    
   
   
       72 . The apparatus of  claim 71  wherein the guide wire further comprises a flange disposed on the distal region having a diameter larger than the diameter of the aperture in the distal cone.  
   
   
       73 . Apparatus for filtering emboli during treatment of occlusive disease in a vessel, the apparatus comprising: 
 a guide wire having a first diameter and a distal region having a second diameter greater than the first diameter;    a filter element having a sac coupled to a distal cone, the distal cone having an aperture greater than the first diameter but smaller than the second diameter,    wherein the filter element is disposed on the guide wire and the guide wire extends through the aperture with the distal region disposed distally of the distal cone, so that when the filter element is deployed in the vessel, rotation or distal translation of the guide wire does not displace the filter element, but retraction of the guide wire in a proximal direction causes the distal region to abut against the distal cone, and    wherein the distal cone can be removably coupled to the docking member.    
   
   
       74 . A method of filtering emboli from blood flowing through a vessel, the method comprising: 
 providing a guide wire having a distal region including a docking member, and a filter element having a distal cone disposed for translation on the guide wire proximal of the docking member, wherein the distal cone can be removably coupled to the docking member;    transluminally inserting the guide wire and filter element into a vessel;    deploying the filter element to engage a wall of the vessel, the filter element filtering emboli out of blood flowing through the vessel;    advancing a treatment device along the guide wire to treat a portion of the vessel proximal to the location of the filter element, rotation or distal translation of the guide wire relative to the filter element imparted by the treatment device not displacing the filter element.    
   
   
       75 . The method of  claim 74  wherein: 
 the docking member contains a grove and the distal cone contains a locking ring sized for insertion into the grove; and    the locking ring of the distal cone is inserted into the grove of the docking member until the locking ring is wholly within the grove.    
   
   
       76 . The method of  claim 74  further comprising: 
 providing a delivery sheath; and    compressing the filter element to a contracted state to insert the filter element within the delivery sheath.    
   
   
       77 . The method of  claim 76  wherein the filter element comprises an expandable sac, and deploying the filter element comprises expanding the expandable sac so that a perimeter of the expandable sac contacts the wall of the vessel.  
   
   
       78 . Apparatus for filtering emboli from blood flowing through a vessel, the apparatus comprising: 
 a guide wire having a distal region;    a filter element disposed for rotation on the distal region of the guide wire, the filter element comprising a self-expanding strut and a filter sac connected to the self-expanding strut; and    a docking member rigidly coupled to the distal region distal to the filter element, the docking member limiting distal translation of the filter element on the guide wire,    wherein the filter element can be removably coupled to the docking member.    
   
   
       79 . The apparatus of  claim 78  wherein, when the filter sac is deployed in the vessel, rotation of the guide wire does not displace the filter element.  
   
   
       80 . The apparatus of  claim 78  wherein the docking member contains a groove and the filter element contains a locking ring sized for insertion into the groove.  
   
   
       81 . A method of filtering emboli from blood flowing through a vessel, the method comprising: 
 providing a guide wire having a distal region including a docking member rigidly coupled to the distal region, and a filter element disposed for translation on the guide wire proximal to the docking member, the filter element comprising a plurality of self-expanding struts having a filter sac affixed thereto, wherein the filter element can be removably coupled to the docking member;    transluminally inserting the guide wire and filter element into a vessel;    deploying the filter element so that the struts and filter sac expand to engage a wall of the vessel, the filter sac filtering emboli out of blood flowing through the vessel; and    advancing a treatment device along the guide wire to treat a portion of the vessel proximal to the location of the filter element, rotation or distal translation of the guide wire relative to the filter element imparted by the treatment device not displacing the filter element.    
   
   
       82 . The method of  claim 81  further comprising retracting the guide wire in a proximal direction to cause the docking member to abut against the filter element.  
   
   
       83 . The method of  claim 81  wherein the docking member contains a groove and the filter element contains a locking ring sized for insertion into the groove.  
   
   
       84 . The method of  claim 81  further comprising: 
 providing a retrieval catheter having a recovery sock;    advancing the retrieval catheter over the guide wire until the recovery sock covers a mouth of the filter element; and    urging the retrieval catheter against the self-expanding struts of the filter element to cause the filter element to collapse.