Embolic protection device

Abstract

An embolic protection device for use in a patient's blood vessel, such as the aorta, has an approximately cylindrical outer structure made of a filter mesh material and an approximately conical inner structure also made of a filter mesh material. On the downstream end of the embolic protection device, the wider end of the conical inner structure is joined to the cylindrical outer structure. The upstream end of the embolic protection device is open for blood to flow between the conical inner structure and the cylindrical outer structure. The space between the conical inner structure and the cylindrical outer structure defines a collection chamber for captured emboli. The narrow upstream end of the conical inner structure has a catheter port with a resilient seal that is sized for passage of a catheter shaft. The filter mesh material may be self-supporting or it may be supported on a resilient-framework or an inflatable framework.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An embolic protection device having an upstream end and a downstream end, said embolic protection device comprising:
 a cylindrical outer sleeve comprising a filter mesh material; and   an inner structure comprising a filter mesh material and including a resilient seal having a plurality of flaps configured to form a sliding seal around a catheter shaft as the catheter shaft is introduced through a downstream end of the embolic protection device;   wherein a downstream end of the inner structure is attached to a downstream end of the cylindrical outer sleeve and the resilient seal of the inner structure is located at an upstream end of the inner structure; and   wherein emboli generated upstream of the embolic protection device flow into and are trapped within a collection chamber defined between the cylindrical outer structure and base of the inner structure.