Patent ID: 6245012
Filing Date: 2001-06-12
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
A free standing filter adapted to freely slide along an elongate guidewire not secured to said filter into a blood vessel and to expand radially into contact with the blood vessel wall and subsequent to expansion to permit free movement of said guidewire relative to said free standing filter without resulting in movement of said filter comprising:a filter body having a first end and a second end spaced from said first end with a longitudinal axis extending between said first and second ends, said filter body including an elongate guidewire receiving member extending between the first and second ends of said filter body, said elongate guidewire receiving member defining a channel having two opposed open ends, said channel being sized to receive and permit passage of an elongate guidewire unsecured to said filter body through said elongate guidewire receiving member and outwardly beyond the two open ends thereof and to permit free relative movement between said filter body and said guidewire along the longitudinal axis of said filter body,an expandable and contractible frame connected to and surrounding said elongate guidewire receiving member, said frame being adapted to move between a first contracted position adjacent to said elongate guidewire receiving member and a second expanded position spaced radially from said elongate guidewire receiving member, anda porous embolic capturing unit connected to said frame, said frame being positioned externally of said porous embolic capturing unit, said porous embolic capturing unit in the second position of said frame being formed to define an enclosed chamber with a single open end spaced from a chamber closed end, said elongate guidewire receiving member extending through said chamber, the porous embolic capturing unit being connected to said guidewire receiving member at the chamber closed end and to said frame at said chamber single open end, said frame including an elongate central frame section surrounding and extending substantially parallel to said elongate guidewire receiving member, said elongate central frame section being positioned adjacent to said elongate guidewire receiving member in the first, contracted position of said frame and expanding into contact with said vessel wall in the second expanded position of said frame, a first end section extending between said elongate central frame section and said guidewire receiving member, said first end section being secured to said elongate guidewire receiving member and a second end section extending between said elongate central frame section and said elongate guidewire receiving member, said second end section being connected to said elongate guidewire receiving member for sliding movement relative thereto.