Patent ID: 6918921

Claim:
An embolic protection device comprising: a collapsible filter element for delivery through a vascular system of a patient; the filter element comprising a collapsible filter body and a filter support for the filter body; the filter body having an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end of the filter body having one or more inlet openings sized to allow blood and embolic material to enter the filter body, the outlet end of the filter body having a plurality of outlet openings sized to allow through passage of blood but to retain undesired embolic material within the filter body; the filter support having a longitudinal axis and being movable between a collapsed position for movement through the vascular system, and an extended outwardly projecting position to support the filter body in an expanded position; the filter support comprising a generally tubular support frame having a plurality of frame cells, each frame cell being defined by at least one wire segment extending around a perimeter of the frame cell, a portion of a said wire segment extending along a generally radial arc with respect to the longitudinal axis.