Patent ID: 7166120

Claim:
A method of deploying an embolic protection device carried on an elongate support member at a location distal to a treatment site in a vessel of a patient comprising: providing a delivery catheter having a distal end and a lumen sized to slideably receive the elongate support member and embolic protection device, the delivery catheter having an elongate tubular shaft encircled by a sealing member, the sealing member being expandable from a delivery configuration to a deployed configuration, the sealing member being slideable over a portion of the elongate tubular shaft, the sealing member having a proximal and a distal end, both the proximal and distal ends being slideable relative to the elongate tubular shaft, and the sealing member being cone shaped having an apex pointed towards the distal end of the delivery catheter; introducing a guide catheter into the vessel; advancing the guide catheter through the vessel until a distal end of the guide catheter is at a desired location proximal of the treatment site; advancing the delivery catheter containing the embolic protection device through the lumen of the guide catheter until the sealing member extends from the distal end of the guide catheter; occluding the flow of blood through the vessel with the sealing member of the delivery catheter in the deployed configuration; after blood flow has been occluded advancing the embolic protection device to a location distal to the treatment site; and deploying the embolic protection device.