Patent ID: 7338510

Claim:
An embolic filtering device for filtering embolic debris from a patient's vasculature, comprising: a filtering assembly including an expandable strut assembly and a filter element attached thereto; wherein the strut assembly is adapted to move between a collapsed position and an expanded position and has flexing portions which flex when subjected to bending forces when the filtering assembly is in the collapsed position and stable portions connected by flexing portions, the stable portions remaining relatively stiff when the filtering assembly is in the collapsed position while the flexing portions provide three degrees of freedom flexing between stable portions when the filtering assembly is placed in the collapsed position, wherein the stable portions include struts, each strut having a strut width and a strut thickness, and the flexing portions include struts, each strut having strut width and a strut thickness, the strut width and thickness of the struts of the flexing portions being less than the strut width and strut thickness of the stable portions.