Patent EP0117940A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0117940A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Expandable blood clot filter
Assignee: Cook Inc
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Filing: 1983-09-09
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2003-09-09
Abstract
Abstract A blood clot filter which is particularly suited for filtering emboli from blood circulating through the inferior vena cava. The filter is comprised of a number of strands of shape memory wire which are interconnected and wadded together to form a curly wire mesh (10). The wire strands may be substantially straightened in order to permit insertion of the filter within the lumen of an angiography catheter (40). The filter includes a number of projections (24) which serve as an anchoring means for anchoring the filter at a suitable body location within the inferior vena cava (65). One of the strands of wire includes a zig-zag which permits the attachment of the filter to the stretched distal end of a helically formed wire guide (36), thereby permitting the filter to be urged longitudinally through the lumen of the catheter (40) for positioning within the inferior vena cava. In order to implant the filter, a percutaneous catheterization is made using a femoral approach. Once inside the inferior vena cava, the filter is pushed out of the catheter using the wire guide. The filter automatically expands to fill the passageway of the inferior vena cava without causing substantial occlusion thereof.
Inventors
- 👤 Cesare Gianturco
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 10:15
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/01; A61F2/011; A61F2/0004; A61F2002/016; A61F2230/00; A61F2230/0063; A61F2230/0091; A61F2250/00; A61F2250/0058; A61F2250/0096; A61F2250/0098
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
191 words
A blood clot filter for positioning within the fluid passageway of a blood vessel in a human body, comprising: a shape memory wire, said wire contractible from a first position wherein said wire is substantially straightened to permit insertion of the filter within the lumen of an angiography catheter, to a second position wherein said wire is contracted along its length to form a curly wire mesh, the potential energy stored in said wire in its first position being sufficient to force said wire into its second position and into urging contact with the intimal wall of said blood vessel at a multiplicity of contact points, thereby aiding the anchoring of said filter at a desired body location within said blood vessel and encouraging endothelization and fibrotic encasement at said contact points, said wire having a sufficiently small diameter to prevent substantial occlusion of said blood vessel when said filter is implanted therein; and anchoring means on said wire for anchoring said filter at a determined body location within said blood vessel, said anchoring means including a plurality of sharp projections for penetrating into said intimal wall of said blood vessel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
191 words
A blood clot filter for positioning within the fluid passageway of a blood vessel in a human body, comprising: a shape memory wire, said wire contractible from a first position wherein said wire is substantially straightened to permit insertion of the filter within the lumen of an angiography catheter, to a second position wherein said wire is contracted along its length to form a curly wire mesh, the potential energy stored in said wire in its first position being sufficient to force said wire into its second position and into urging contact with the intimal wall of said blood vessel at a multiplicity of contact points, thereby aiding the anchoring of said filter at a desired body location within said blood vessel and encouraging endothelization and fibrotic encasement at said contact points, said wire having a sufficiently small diameter to prevent substantial occlusion of said blood vessel when said filter is implanted therein; and anchoring means on said wire for anchoring said filter at a determined body location within said blood vessel, said anchoring means including a plurality of sharp projections for penetrating into said intimal wall of said blood vessel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The aoparatus of claim 1 and further comprising: introduction means integral with said wire for facilitating the introduction of said wire into said blood vessel through the lumen of said catheter.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said projections are positioned at opposite ends of said filter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said anchoring means includes four projections, two each positioned at opposite ends of said filter, said projections longitudinally staggered at each end to facilitate loading of said filter within said catheter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said wire includes a plurality of strands.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said wire includes four or more strands.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein each strand is connected at both ends to at least one other strand and a plurality of said strands are connected at at least one intermediate point along their lengths.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the two each said projections at the forward end of said filter include a barb sharpened at both ends.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said barbs have a length which is less than 1 cm.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
56 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said introduction means is a zig-zag in said wire, said zig-zag providing a surface substantially perpendicular to the length of said wire when said wire is in its first position, thereby permitting said filter to be urged longitudinally through the lumen of said catheter for positioning in said blood vessel.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said wire is made of tempered stainless steel.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said wire has a diameter which is less than .015 inches.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
148 words
An assembly for performing a catheterization of a blood vessel in a human body in order to filter emboli from blood circulating through said blood vessel, said assembly comprising: a catheter sized to be received within the passageway of a blood vessel and inserted therein over said first wire guide; a filter expandable radially outwards perpendicular to the length of said filter from a first position wherein said filter is entirely received within the lumen of said catheter to a second position wherein said filter encompasses substantially the entire cross-sectional area within the passageway of said blood vessel; and a wire guide having a diameter sized to permit said wire guide to be received through the lumen of said catheter, said wire guide including means for urging said filter out an end of said catheter and into a determined body location within the passageway of said blood vessel.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
148 words
An assembly for performing a catheterization of a blood vessel in a human body in order to filter emboli from blood circulating through said blood vessel, said assembly comprising: a catheter sized to be received within the passageway of a blood vessel and inserted therein over said first wire guide; a filter expandable radially outwards perpendicular to the length of said filter from a first position wherein said filter is entirely received within the lumen of said catheter to a second position wherein said filter encompasses substantially the entire cross-sectional area within the passageway of said blood vessel; and a wire guide having a diameter sized to permit said wire guide to be received through the lumen of said catheter, said wire guide including means for urging said filter out an end of said catheter and into a determined body location within the passageway of said blood vessel.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus of claim 13, and further comprising: a dilator including a tubular portion having a lumen therethrough, said tubular portion having a tip portion of narrowing cross-section for dilating said blood vessel in order to permit the subsequent insertion of said catheter.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 14, and further comprising: a catheter sheath having a lumen therethrough and sized to be received over said tubular portion of said dilator, said catheter sheath lumen sized to receive said catheter.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
44 words
The assembly of claim 13 wherein said second wire guide is helically formed, and said urging means is a stretched helical portion of said wire guide located at one end thereof and which is stretched relative to the remaining portion of said wire guide.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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