Patent ID: 7780697

Claim:
An embolic protection system, comprising: a filter carrier for delivery through a vascular system of a patient; and a self-expandable filter element associated with the filter carrier, the filter element comprising a filter body having a proximal inlet end and a distal outlet end, the inlet end of the filter body having one or more large inlet openings, and the outlet end of the filter body having a plurality of small outlet openings sized to allow through passage of blood but to retain undesired embolic material within the filter body, the filter element being movable between a collapsed stored position for movement through the vascular system and an expanded position in which the filter element at least partially contacts a wall of a blood vessel such that blood passing through the blood vessel is delivered through the filter element but embolic material in the blood is retained in the filter element; and a ring that is engageable with the filter carrier, wherein a proximal portion of the filter element presses the ring into engagement with the filter carrier such that the ring and filter element are restricted from moving transversely on the filter carrier.