Patent ID: 8167901
Filing Date: 2012-05-01
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. A removable filter for capturing thrombi in a blood vessel, the filter comprising: a plurality of primary struts having first ends attached together along a longitudinal axis of the filter, the plurality of primary struts including a pair of opposed primary struts having opposed first ends relative to the longitudinal axis, each primary strut having a first length including an arcuate segment having a soft S-shape and terminating with an anchoring hook, the arcuate segment of each primary strut having a first curved portion, a second curved portion, and a third curved portion, each curved portion curving in a different direction than the other curved portions, the first curved portion of each primary strut extending from the first end of the respective primary strut radially away from the longitudinal axis and the second curved portion of each primary strut extending directly from the first curved portion of the respective primary strut radially toward the longitudinal axis to define the soft S-shape, the second curved portion terminating with the anchoring hook, the first curved portion of each primary strut including the third curved portion defined by an axial bend angled consistently from the longitudinal axis of the filter, wherein the axial bend is formed by a bend on each primary strut by between about 0.5 degree and 5 degrees at right angles relative to the first end of the respective primary strut and the longitudinal axis of the filter such that the primary struts are configured to maintain a consistent orientation when moving between expanded and collapsed states, wherein the axial bends of the opposed primary struts offset the opposed primary struts relative to one another to allow the opposed primary struts to avoid entanglement with one another when moving between the expanded and collapsed states, the primary struts being configured to move to the collapsed state for filter retrieval or delivery and the expanded state for engaging with the blood vessel; and a plurality of secondary struts having connected ends attached together along the longitudinal axis, each secondary strut freely extending from the connected end to a free end to centralize the filter in the expanded state in the blood vessel, each secondary strut extending arcuately along a longitudinal plane and linearly along a diametric plane from the connected end to the free end, each secondary strut having a second length including a first arc and a second arc, the first arc extending from the connected end away from the longitudinal axis and terminating at the free end without a hook.