Patent ID: 8409237

Claim:
A method for removing a filtration device from a patient's vessel lumen through an aspiration catheter, the method comprising: (a) converting a bundle of at least 50 surface capillary fibers of the filtration device from an expanded configuration having a diameter spanning the vessel lumen to a reduced diameter configuration while applying suction through an opening at a distal end of the aspiration catheter located proximal to the filtration device such that debris captured in the bundle of fibers is drawn into the aspiration catheter, wherein the converting step comprises changing the relative position of a corewire and a hypotube that the corewire runs within such that a first end of the bundle of fibers attached to move with the core wire and a second end of the bundle of fibers attached to move with the hypotube move apart from each other, wherein in the reduced diameter configuration, the fibers are all substantially aligned with each other, and wherein in the expanded configuration, an unconstrained portion of the bundle of fibers flares with respect to the reduced diameter configuration to form a porous filter matrix; (b) after converting the filtration device to the reduced diameter configuration, drawing the filtration device into the aspiration catheter while applying suction therethrough, and (c) removing the aspiration catheter from the vessel with the filtration device disposed within the catheter.