Patent ID: 7510565

Claim:
A filtration device for removing embolic material in body fluid, the filtration device having a pre-deployment state and a deployment state, comprising: a guidewire having a longitudinal axis; and a filter assembly comprising: a first collar, the guidewire extending through the first collar, the first collar being slidably movable on the guidewire; a second collar, the guidewire extending through the second collar, the second collar being slidably movable on the guidewire; a filter element coupled to the first collar and the second collar, the filter element comprising a filter membrane and a filter support frame for the membrane; the filter frame being collapsed in the pre-deployment state and the filter frame being expanded in the deployment state, the filter frame and collars being slidable in the pre-deployment and in the expanded deployment state; the filter element having at least one inlet opening at a proximal end of the filter element and a plurality of outlet openings towards a distal end of the filter element, the outlet openings allowing the body fluid to flow through the filter element but retaining embolic material within the filter element, and the inlet opening being larger than any of the outlet openings; and the filter membrane having a proximal end which terminates distal of a proximal end of the filter support frame.