Patent ID: 7604649

Claim:
A distal protection device comprising a catheter having a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, and a cylindrical wall extending from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion along a longitudinal axis and having a sidewall formed therein and a slot formed in a portion of the sidewall, the slot extending parallel to the longitudinal axis and positioned proximal of a distal end of the catheter to form an opening in the sidewall, a single flexible member forming first and second loop openings, the flexible member movable from a first retracted position wherein a portion lies within the opening in the sidewall to a second looped position extending laterally with respect to the catheter and through the opening in the sidewall such that the first loop opening extends substantially in a direction of blood flow as the first loop opening lies in a plane substantially parallel to a transverse axis of the catheter and the second loop opening extends substantially in a direction of blood flow as the second loop opening lies in a plane substantially parallel to a transverse axis of the catheter, and filtering material movable from a collapsed position to an expanded position in response to movement of the flexible member, the filtering material allowing blood flow therethrough while capturing embolic material dislodged by a treatment device.