Patent ID: 7344515

Claim:
An endovascular guiding catheter having proximal embolic protection comprising: an elongate shaft having proximal and distal ends; a central, first lumen extending through the shaft between open proximal and distal ends, the first lumen being adapted to receive and guide an intravascular device to a location distally beyond the distal end of the shaft; a hub coupled to the shaft proximal end; an expandable sealing member having an interior and being mounted about the shaft distal end, the sealing member being expandable to a cross-section sufficient to occlude endovascular flow; a second lumen extending through the shaft and adapted to receive an expansion wire, the second lumen extending through the shaft and having a distal end in communication with the interior of the sealing member; and an expansion wire slidably disposed within the expansion wire lumen and protruding proximally therefrom, the expansion wire having an expandable distal portion with a pre-formed expanded shape to expand the sealing member to its occlusive cross-section, the expandable distal portion being movable between a non-expanded position and an expanded position, the expanded position being within the interior of the sealing member.