Abstract: An embolic filter positioning system includes a vascular delivery sheath, a filter catheter, a self-expanding embolic filter attached to a distal end of the filter catheter, and an elongate dilator having a tapered dilator tip. The elongate dilator is slidably received in a central lumen of the filter catheter, and the filter catheter is slidably received in the open lumen of the vascular delivery sheath. The tapered dilator tip is positioned distally of the distal end of the vascular delivery sheath, and the self-expanding embolic filter is radially constrained in a proximal portion of the open lumen of the vascular delivery sheath. The tapered dilator tip has an expanded configuration where it covers the open distal end of the vascular delivery sheath and facilitates entry though an arteriotomy and a contracted configuration where it can be retracted through the central lumen of the filter catheter.

Abstract: An embolic protection device comprises a tubular filter body attached to a sheath. The tubular filter body has an open upstream end and a generally closed downstream end for capturing emboli. A self-opening passage through the emboli capture end of the tubular filter body allows multiple catheters to be advanced from the sheath or otherwise into the filter body simultaneously or sequentially. The sheath is attached to a peripheral support structure near the emboli capture end of the filter body to facilitate deployment and retrieval of the filter body through a restraining delivery catheter.

Abstract: An embolic protection device comprises a tubular filter body attached to a sheath. The tubular filter body has an open upstream end and a generally closed downstream end for capturing emboli. A self-opening passage through the emboli capture end of the tubular filter body allows multiple catheters to be advanced from the sheath or otherwise into the filter body simultaneously or sequentially. The sheath is attached to a peripheral support structure near the emboli capture end of the filter body to facilitate deployment and retrieval of the filter body through a restraining delivery catheter.

Abstract: An embolic protection device comprises a tubular filter body attached to a sheath. The tubular filter body has an open upstream end and a generally closed downstream end for capturing emboli. A self-opening passage through the emboli capture end of the tubular filter body allows multiple catheters to be advanced from the sheath or otherwise into the filter body simultaneously or sequentially. The sheath is attached to a peripheral support structure near the emboli capture end of the filter body to facilitate deployment and retrieval of the filter body through a restraining delivery catheter.

Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve delivery catheter includes an embolic filter to provide integrated embolic protection to inhibit the release of emboli into the aorta, the aortic arch or branch vessels, and other vasculature during transvascular heart valve replacement procedures. The embolic filter will usually be fixedly or movably attached to a shaft of the delivery catheter proximal of the prosthetic heart valve.

Abstract: An embolic protection device comprises a tubular filter body attached to a sheath. The tubular filter body has an open upstream end and a generally closed downstream end for capturing emboli. A self-opening passage through the emboli capture end of the tubular filter body allows multiple catheters to be advanced from the sheath or otherwise into the filter body simultaneously or sequentially. The sheath is attached to a peripheral support structure near the emboli capture end of the filter body to facilitate deployment and retrieval of the filter body through a restraining delivery catheter.

Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve delivery catheter includes an embolic filter to provide integrated embolic protection to inhibit the release of emboli into the aorta, the aortic arch or branch vessels, and other vasculature during transvascular heart valve replacement procedures. The embolic filter will usually be fixedly or movably attached to a shaft of the delivery catheter proximal of the prosthetic heart valve.

Abstract: An embolic protection device for use in a patient's blood vessel, such as the aorta, has an approximately cylindrical outer structure made of a filter mesh material and an approximately conical inner structure also made of a filter mesh material. On the downstream end of the embolic protection device, the wider end of the conical inner structure is joined to the cylindrical outer structure. The upstream end of the embolic protection device is open for blood to flow between the conical inner structure and the cylindrical outer structure. The space between the conical inner structure and the cylindrical outer structure defines a collection chamber for captured emboli. The narrow upstream end of the conical inner structure has a catheter port with a resilient seal that is sized for passage of a catheter shaft. The filter mesh material may be self-supporting or it may be supported on a resilient-framework or an inflatable framework.

Abstract: Embolic protection elements are integrated with a catheter or access sheath for any catheter. A catheter with an integrated embolic protection element comprises a catheter shaft, an embolic filter slidably mounted on a distal portion of the shaft, a proximal stop for limiting the proximal movement of the embolic filter, and a distal stop for limiting the distal movement of the embolic filter. The filter comprises a porous mesh material defining a collection chamber for captured emboli and has a collapsed and a deployed configuration. The filter may be collapsed by an access sheath used with the catheter. An access sheath may comprise a tubular main body and an embolic filter mounted on the distal portion of the tubular main body. The embolic filter may evert into the central lumen of the sheath or may be constrained on the exterior of the sheath with a larger diameter outer tube.

Abstract: Embolic protection elements are integrated with a catheter or access sheath for any catheter. A catheter with an integrated embolic protection element comprises a catheter shaft, an embolic filter slidably mounted on a distal portion of the shaft, a proximal stop for limiting the proximal movement of the embolic filter, and a distal stop for limiting the distal movement of the embolic filter. The filter comprises a porous mesh material defining a collection chamber for captured emboli and has a collapsed and a deployed configuration. The filter may be collapsed by an access sheath used with the catheter. An access sheath may comprise a tubular main body and an embolic filter mounted on the distal portion of the tubular main body. The embolic filter may evert into the central lumen of the sheath or may be constrained on the exterior of the sheath with a larger diameter outer tube.

Abstract: The embolic protection device (10) has an expandable tubular structure supporting a filter mesh material (12). The embolic protection device is compressed to a small diameter for insertion into a patient's aorta, then expanded within the aorta with the filter mesh material positioned to allow blood to enter sidebranch vessels connected to the aorta and to prevent embolic material from entering the sidebranch vessels. The filter mesh material may be configured with waves or undulations (26) for increased surface area and/or with two layers of mesh material to provide additional protection against embolization and to prevent inadvertent occlusion of the sidebranch vessels.

Abstract: An embolic protection device for use in a patient's blood vessel, such as the aorta, has an approximately cylindrical outer structure made of a filter mesh material and an approximately conical inner structure also made of a filter mesh material. On the downstream end of the embolic protection device, the wider end of the conical inner structure is joined to the cylindrical outer structure. The upstream end of the embolic protection device is open for blood to flow between the conical inner structure and the cylindrical outer structure. The space between the conical inner structure and the cylindrical outer structure defines a collection chamber for captured emboli. The narrow upstream end of the conical inner structure has a catheter port with a resilient seal that is sized for passage of a catheter shaft. The filter mesh material may be self-supporting or it may be supported on a resilient-framework or an inflatable framework.

Abstract: The embolic protection device (10) has an expandable tubular structure supporting a filter mesh material (12). The embolic protection device is compressed to a small diameter for insertion into a patient's aorta, then expanded within the aorta with the filter mesh material positioned to allow blood to enter sidebranch vessels connected to the aorta and to prevent embolic material from entering the sidebranch vessels. The filter mesh material may be configured with waves or undulations (26) for increased surface area and/or with two layers of mesh material to provide additional protection against embolization and to prevent inadvertent occlusion of the sidebranch vessels.

Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve delivery catheter includes an embolic filter to provide integrated embolic protection to inhibit the release of emboli into the aorta, the aortic arch or branch vessels, and other vasculature during transvascular heart valve replacement procedures. The embolic filter will usually be fixedly or movably attached to a shaft of the delivery catheter proximal of the prosthetic heart valve.

Abstract: The embolic protection device (10) has an expandable tubular structure supporting a filter mesh material (12). The embolic protection device is compressed to a small diameter for insertion into a patient's aorta, then is expanded within the aorta with the filter mesh material positioned to allow blood to enter sidebranch vessels connected to the aorta and to prevent embolic material from entering the sidebranch vessels. The filter mesh material may be configured with waves or undulations (26) for increased surface area and/or with two layers of mesh material to provide additional protection against embolization and to prevent inadvertent occlusion of the sidebranch vessels.

Abstract: An embolic protection device comprises a tubular filter body attached to a sheath. The tubular filter body has an open upstream end and a generally closed downstream end for capturing emboli. A self-opening passage through the emboli capture end of the tubular filter body allows multiple catheters to be advanced from the sheath or otherwise into the filter body simultaneously or sequentially. The sheath is attached to a peripheral support structure near the emboli capture end of the filter body to facilitate deployment and retrieval of the filter body through a restraining delivery catheter.

Abstract: The embolic protection device comprises an embolic filter attached to an inner sheath. The embolic filter includes at least a first catheter access port and a second catheter port. At least the first catheter port will typically be radially expandable to receive catheters of different diameters and will be located at an atypical end of an aero conical structure at a downstream end of the filter.

Abstract: An embolic protection device for use in a patient's blood vessel, such as the aorta, has an approximately cylindrical outer structure made of a filter mesh material and an approximately conical inner structure also made of a filter mesh material. On the downstream end of the embolic protection device, the wider end of the conical inner structure is joined to the cylindrical outer structure. The upstream end of the embolic protection device is open for blood to flow between the conical inner structure and the cylindrical outer structure. The space between the conical inner structure and the cylindrical outer structure defines a collection chamber for captured emboli. The narrow upstream end of the conical inner structure has a catheter port with a resilient seal that is sized for passage of a catheter shaft. The filter mesh material may be self-supporting or it may be supported on a resilient-framework or an inflatable framework.

Abstract: An embolic protection device comprises a tubular filter body attached to a sheath. The tubular filter body has an open upstream end and a generally closed downstream end for capturing emboli. A self-opening passage through the emboli capture end of the tubular filter body allows multiple catheters to be advanced from the sheath or otherwise into the filter body simultaneously or sequentially. The sheath is attached to a peripheral support structure near the emboli capture end of the filter body to facilitate deployment and retrieval of the filter body through a restraining delivery catheter.

Abstract: An embolic protection device for use in a patient's blood vessel, such as the aorta, has an approximately cylindrical outer structure made of a filter mesh material and an approximately conical inner structure also made of a filter mesh material. On the downstream end of the embolic protection device, the wider end of the conical inner structure is joined to the cylindrical outer structure. The upstream end of the embolic protection device is open for blood to flow between the conical inner structure and the cylindrical outer structure. The space between the conical inner structure and the cylindrical outer structure defines a collection chamber for captured emboli. The narrow upstream end of the conical inner structure has a catheter port with a resilient seal that is sized for passage of a catheter shaft. The filter mesh material may be self-supporting or it may be supported on a resilient-framework or an inflatable framework.