Patent ID: 6786888
Filing Date: 2004-09-07
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
An emboli protection apparatus for use in a blood vessel, comprising:a tube having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion and a lumen therethrough; an expandable member on said distal end portion of said tube, said expandable member being expandable from a nonexpanded state, which permits delivery of said expandable member through the vessel, to an expanded state in which the expandable member prevents migration of emboli; an elongate member being moveable relative to said tube between a first position at least partially within said tube and a second position at least partially within said tube, the elongate member having a holding portion with a cross section greater than a cross section of the lumen wherein the holding portion is deformable to fit within the lumen, the movement of the elongate member between the first and the second positions enabling the expansion of the expandable member, said elongate member configured to frictionally engage an interior surface of said proximal end portion of said tube when said elongate member is in both of the first and second positions, the frictional engagement being sufficient to maintain the position of said elongate member relative to said tube, thereby maintaining the state of said expandable member.