Patent ID: 7678130
Filing Date: 2010-03-16
Classification: A61B,A61F,B21F

Abstract:
1. A method of protecting a patient from embolization during a percutaneous procedure at a site of stenosis within a vessel, comprising: providing a guidewire having proximal and distal ends, a proximal and a distal region, an expandable filter associated with the distal region, and an elongate tubular member which covers the expandable filter and is slidable over the guidewire; providing a retrieval catheter having proximal and distal ends and a lumen sized to receive the guidewire; introducing the distal end of the guidewire into the patient's vessel with the elongate tubular member covering the expandable filter, and positioning the filter downstream of the stenosis, wherein the elongate tubular member and guidewire cross the stenosis; expanding the expandable filter; removing the elongate tubular member from the vessel; introducing a distal end of a treatment catheter into the patient's vessel; advancing the treatment catheter over the guidewire to the site of stenosis within the vessel; expanding the vessel at the site of stenosis; removing the treatment catheter from the vessel; after the treatment catheter has been removed from the vessel introducing the distal end of the retrieval catheter into the vessel; and advancing the retrieval catheter over the guidewire to retrieve the expandable filter, wherein embolic material is generated when the vessel is expanded and captured before the expandable filter is removed from the patient's vessel.