Patent ID: 6890340

Claim:
An apparatus for temporary protection adjacent a site of catheter intervention in a body vessel, the apparatus having a flexible, elongate shaft with a distal region, and a protection element mounted about the shaft distal region and being capable of preventing passage of emboli there through, the protection element comprising: a self-expanded open configuration having: a ring portion capable of sealing engagement with a lumen of the body vessel, a generally conical outer body tapering distally from the ring portion to a distal open apex coupled to the shaft, and a generally conical inner body extending coaxially within and being shorter than the outer body, the inner body tapering distally from the ring portion to a proximal open apex slidably coupled to the shaft, the inner and outer bodies being connected to each other through the ring portion; and a closed configuration wherein the outer body and the ring portion are compacted about the shaft, and the inner body is enveloped within the compacted outer body, wherein axial displacement of the proximal open apex towards the distal open apex reversibly transforms the protection element from the open configuration to the closed configuration, and wherein the distal open apex is slidingly coupled to the shaft, which further comprises a stop to prevent distal advancement of the distal open apex there beyond.