Patent ID: 6592616
Filing Date: 2003-07-15
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
A system for treating an area of plaque in a blood vessel and minimizing the possibility of emboli from the plaque entering the bloodstream, comprising:a plaque-trapping device including a permanently implantable tubular net having proximal and distal ends and an inner lumen formed therein, said tubular net being made from a flexible, blood permeable and biocompatible material with an expandable member attached to each of said proximal and distal ends of said tubular net which is capable of expanding from a collapsed to an expanded condition to contact the wall of the blood vessel to maintain the tubular net over the area of plaque; an implantable stent expandable from a contracted to an expanded condition and adapted for placement within the inner lumen of said tubular net for compressing the plaque when deployed into the expanded condition; and a delivery catheter having an inner member with a first region for mountingsaid implantable stent when in the contracted condition and a second region for mounting said plaque-trapping device when in the collapsed condition, along with a retractable restraining sheath overlying said inner member adapted for axial movement with respect to said inner member for deploying said plaque-trapping device and stent in the blood vessel.