Patent ID: 8043323

Claim:
An assembly for filtering debris flowing in an in vivo fluid stream, the assembly comprising: i) at least one balloon configured to volumetrically expand and to contract following said expansion, said at least one balloon comprising an outer wall having a distal end and a proximal end and an inner wall defining a lumen, said lumen extending from said distal end to said proximal end; ii) a filter configured to operatively connect with said at least one balloon during at least a portion of said volumetric expansion of said at least one balloon, such that said filter expands during said operative connection in order to filter debris from a fluid flowing in a fluid stream within which said expanded filter is disposed, wherein at least a portion of said filter is configured to remain removably connected to a luminal aspect associated with said fluid stream during contraction of said at least one balloon; and iii) at least one cord operatively associated with said filter and configured to disconnect at least a portion of said filter from said luminal aspect when tension is applied to said at least one cord, wherein at least a portion of said at least one cord is configured to slidingly pass through said lumen.