Patent ID: 6575995
Filing Date: 2003-06-10
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
A system for capturing embolic material which may be released into a blood vessel during a therapeutic interventional procedure, comprising:a catheter, including an elongated shaft, adapted to be positionable within the blood vessel and distal to an interventional procedure site, wherein the catheter shaft includes a distal end; and a filter device, adapted to be located in the distal end portion of the catheter shaft, to be deployed distal to the interventional procedure site, and to pass blood therethrough and to capture embolic material which may be released into the blood in the blood vessel during the interventional procedure, wherein the filter device includes an expandable cage assembly, adapted to be expandable to capture embolic material, and to be collapsible to retain the captured embolic material, wherein the expandable cage assembly includes a plurality of struts, adapted to be expanded from unexpanded condition thereof, and a filter material for filtering embolic material, extending about the plurality of struts, and means for varying the stiffness along the length of the expandable cage assembly for enabling the expandable cage assembly to expand freely responsive thereto, comprising variable dimensions of the plurality of struts along substantially the entire thereof.