Patent ID: 8007510

Claim:
A method of deploying and retrieving a filter wire assembly, the method comprising: providing a guidewire having a proximal end and a distal region; providing a filter wire assembly comprising: an embolic filter disposed about a tubular member, and a filter wire, wherein the tubular member has a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending therethrough that can accommodate the guidewire; wherein a distal end of the filter wire is fixedly attached to the tubular member proximate the proximal end of the tubular member; said filter wire assembly having a first configuration in which the guidewire and the filter wire assembly are separated and a second configuration in which the guidewire is slidably received within the lumen of the tubular member, further wherein in the second configuration the tubular member has a first position about the guidewire and removed from the distal region of the guidewire and a second position about the guidewire within the distal region of the guidewire; providing the guidewire and the filter wire assembly in the first configuration; inserting the proximal end of the guidewire through the tubular member distal end thereby obtaining the second configuration of the guidewire and the filter wire assembly in which the tubular member is in the first position relative to the guidewire; sliding the tubular member toward the distal region of the guidewire until the second position of the tubular member relative to the guidewire is attained; deploying the embolic filter about the tubular member in the second position of the tubular member; collapsing the embolic filter about the tubular member in the second position; sliding the tubular member toward the proximal end of the guidewire thereby obtaining the first position of the tubular member relative to the guidewire in the second configuration of the guidewire and filter wire assembly; and removing the guidewire from the lumen of the tubular member of the filter wire assembly thereby obtaining the first configuration of the guidewire and the filter wire assembly.