Patent ID: 7842066

Claim:
An assembly for loading an embolic protection filter into a catheter, the assembly comprising: an embolic protection filter comprising a sleeve extending from a proximal end of the embolic protection filter to a distal end of the embolic protection filter, the sleeve having a lumen extending at least partially therethrough; a catheter defining a reception space for receiving the embolic protection filter; an urging device for delivering the embolic protection filter into the reception space; and a loading device to collapse the embolic protection filter, wherein the loading device comprises an inlet end and an outlet end, the outlet end being configured for co-operative alignment with the reception space, the urging device is removable from the embolic protection filter, while the embolic protection filter remains in the reception space, and the urging device comprises an engagement formation having a radial dimension that is greater than a radial dimension of the lumen of the sleeve and a stem for insertion through at least part of the lumen of the sleeve.