Vena cava fliter having hourglass shape

Abstract

The present invention is a luminal filter including: a plurality of filter elements interconnected so as to form a filter body shaped in a free recovery form and having a plurality of apertures disposed between and defined by the interconnected filter elements. The apertures are dimensioned so as to inhibit a thrombus of a selected size from passing through the apertures and being dimensioned so as to allow blood components smaller than the selected size to pass through the apertures. The filter body includes a first funnel and second funnel coupled at least indirectly coupled together at their small ends.

1 . A filter for use in a body lumen of a subject, the filter comprising:
 a plurality of filter elements interconnected so as to form a filter body having a plurality of apertures disposed between and defined by the interconnected filter elements, said filter body comprising:
 a first funnel having a first funnel-shaped body defining a first conduit having a first larger end fluidly coupled to and opposite of a first smaller end, said first funnel-shaped body having a plurality of first apertures defined by the interconnected filter elements; and 
 a second funnel having a second funnel-shaped body defining a second conduit having a second larger end fluidly coupled to and opposite of a second smaller end, said second funnel-shaped body having a single spiral filter element that spirals from the second smaller end to the second larger end, with the single spiral filter element being wound tighter at the second smaller end than at the second larger end. 
   
     
     
         2 . The filter as in  claim 1 , wherein the single spiral filter element defines an aperture that spirally extends from the second smaller end to the second larger end. 
     
     
         3 . The filter as in  claim 2 , wherein a cross section of the aperture increases as the aperture spirally extends from the second smaller end to the second larger end. 
     
     
         4 . The filter as in  claim 1 , wherein the filter body is configured such that the first larger end of the first funnel and the second larger end of the second funnel each have a reduced dimension when tensile longitudinal forces are applied to the filter body. 
     
     
         5 . The filter as in  claim 4 , wherein the filter body is configured such that the first larger end of the first funnel and the second larger end of the second funnel have an enlarged dimension when compressive longitudinal forces are applied to the filter body or tensile forces are released from the filter body. 
     
     
         6 . The filter as in  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the first funnel or second funnel is shaped to trap the thrombus of the selected size within the respective conduit at a central axial position, and at least one of the first apertures or second apertures are dimensioned so as to inhibit the thrombus of the selected size from passing therethrough and being dimensioned so as to allow blood components smaller than the selected size to pass therethrough. 
     
     
         7 . The filter as in  claim 5 , wherein the filter body has sufficient rigidity to reconfigure the body lumen from an oblong-shaped cross section to a circular-shaped cross section. 
     
     
         8 . A filter for use in a body lumen of a subject, the filter comprising:
 a plurality of filter elements interconnected so as to form a filter body having a plurality of apertures disposed between and defined by the interconnected filter elements, said filter body comprising:
 a first funnel having a first funnel-shaped body defining a first conduit having a first larger end fluidly coupled to and opposite of a first smaller end, said first funnel-shaped body having a first single spiral filter element that spirals from the first smaller end to the first larger end, with the first single spiral filter element being wound tighter at the first smaller end than at the first larger end; 
 a second funnel having a second funnel-shaped body defining a second conduit having a second larger end fluidly coupled to and opposite of a second smaller end, said second funnel-shaped body having a single spiral filter element that spirals from the second smaller end to the second larger end, with the second single spiral filter element being wound tighter at the second smaller end than at the second larger end; and 
 a median portion having a median body defining a median conduit having a first end coupled to the first smaller end of the first funnel and having a second end coupled to the second smaller end of the second funnel, said median conduit being dimensioned so as to inhibit a thrombus of a selected size from passing through the median conduit. 
   
     
     
         9 . The filter as in  claim 8 , wherein the first single spiral filter element and defines a first aperture that spirally extends from the first smaller end to the first larger end, a cross section of the first aperture increases as the second aperture spirally extends from the first smaller end to the first larger end. 
     
     
         10 . The filter as in  claim 9 , wherein the second single spiral filter element and defines a second aperture that spirally extends from the second smaller end to the second larger end, a cross section of the second aperture increases as the second aperture spirally extends from the second smaller end to the second larger end. 
     
     
         11 . The filter as in  claim 8 , wherein the filter body is configured such that the first larger end of the first funnel and the second larger end of the second funnel have a reduced dimension when tensile longitudinal forces are applied to the filter body. 
     
     
         12 . The filter as in  claim 11 , wherein the filter body is configured such that the first larger end of the first funnel and the second larger end of the second funnel have an enlarged dimension when compressive longitudinal forces are applied to the filter body or tensile forces are released from the filter body. 
     
     
         13 . The filter as in  claim 8 , said filter body further comprising at least one of the following:
 a first tube having a first tube-shaped body defining a first tube conduit and having a first end fluidly coupled to the first larger end of the first funnel-shaped body, said first tube having a first length; or   a second tube having a second tube-shaped body defining a second tube conduit and having a second end fluidly coupled to the second larger end of the second funnel-shaped body, said second tube having a second length.   
     
     
         14 . The filter as in  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the following:
 the first length of the first tube is dimensioned to inhibit the filter from migrating within the body lumen of the subject; or   the second length of the second tube is dimensioned to inhibit the filter from migrating within the body lumen of the subject.   
     
     
         15 . The filter as in  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first length or second length has a dimension from about 0 mm to about 50 mm. 
     
     
         16 . The filter as in  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the first funnel or second funnel is shaped to trap the thrombus of the selected size within the respective conduit at a central axial position, and at least one of the first apertures or second apertures are dimensioned so as to inhibit the thrombus of the selected size from passing therethrough and being dimensioned so as to allow blood components smaller than the selected size to pass therethrough. 
     
     
         17 . The filter as in  claim 8 , wherein the filter body has sufficient rigidity to reconfigure the body lumen from an oblong-shaped cross section to a circular-shaped cross section. 
     
     
         18 . A filter for use in a body lumen of a subject, the filter comprising:
 a plurality of filter elements interconnected so as to form a filter body having a plurality of apertures disposed between and defined by the interconnected filter elements, said filter body comprising:
 a first funnel having a first funnel-shaped body defining a first conduit having a first larger end fluidly coupled to and opposite of a first smaller end, said first funnel-shaped body having a first single spiral filter element that spirals from the first smaller end to the first larger end and a first aperture that spirally extends from the first smaller end to the first larger end, the single spiral filter element being wound tighter at the first smaller end than at the first larger end; 
 a second funnel having a second funnel-shaped body defining a second conduit having a second larger end fluidly coupled to and opposite of a second smaller end, said second funnel-shaped body having a second single spiral filter element that spirals from the second smaller end to the second larger end and a second aperture that spirally extends from the second smaller end to the second larger end, the second single spiral filter element being wound tighter at the second smaller end than at the second larger end; and 
 a median portion having a median body defining a median conduit having a first end coupled to the first smaller end of the first funnel and having a second end coupled to the second smaller end of the second funnel, said median conduit being dimensioned so as to inhibit a thrombus of a selected size from passing through the median conduit. 
   
     
     
         19 . The filter as in  claim 18 , said filter body further comprising at least one of the following:
 a first tube having a first tube-shaped body defining a first tube conduit and having a first end fluidly coupled to the first larger end of the first funnel-shaped body, said first tube having a first length; or   a second tube having a second tube-shaped body defining a second tube conduit and having a second end fluidly coupled to the second larger end of the second funnel-shaped body, said second tube having a second length.   
     
     
         20 . The filter as in  claim 19 , wherein the first tube or the second tube comprises the plurality of interconnected filter elements.