Patent ID: 7717934

Claim:
A method for positioning a distal embolic protection device at a target site within a blood vessel, the method comprising: providing a guide wire having a distal region and a distal end; providing a distal embolic protection device including an elongate shaft having a proximal region, a distal region, and a filter secured to the shaft distal region; providing a catheter having a distal end, a distal region, a proximal region, and a lumen disposed within a tubular sidewall through the distal region, wherein the distal region includes a distal end port, a distal sidewall port extending from the lumen through the tubular sidewall, and a proximal sidewall port extending from the lumen through the tubular sidewall, the distal and proximal sidewall ports being proximal of the distal end port and distal of a proximal end of the lumen; disposing the distal embolic protection device within the catheter such that the distal embolic protection device shaft extends outwardly through the proximal sidewall port; advancing the guide wire through the vessel until the distal end of the guidewire crosses the target site; inserting the guide wire through the lumen of the catheter between the distal end port and the distal sidewall port; advancing the catheter through the vessel; advancing the embolic protection device through the vessel to the target site; proximally retracting the guide wire such that the guide wire distal region exits proximally from the lumen through the catheter distal sidewall port; and radially expanding the filter within the vessel at the target site.