Filter, particularly for trapping blood clots

Claim 2

A filter to be positioned within a blood vessel to trap blood clots, said filter comprising: a plurality of legs arranged to extend from a head in a substantially conical corolla configuration, each of said legs having a free end; and at least some of said legs having respective appendices connected thereto in the region of said free ends thereof, each appendix including a portion extending in the general direction of said head; whereby said appendices extend substantially parallel with a wall of the vessel when said filter is inserted within the same.

Claim 3

The filter of claim 1, wherein each said appendix comprises a free end which is set back with respect to said head.

Claim 4

The filter of claim 1, wherein said legs extend from said head so as to be expandable from a smaller-diameter conical corolla configuration to a larger-diameter conical corolla configuration.

Claim 5

The filter of claim 1, wherein three legs comprise said respective appendices and are angularly distributed about an axis of said filter.

Claim 6

The filter of claim 1, additionally comprising three legs without appendices which are also angularly distributed about the axis of said filter.

Claim 7

The filter of claim 1, wherein said appendices comprise means for hooking the same onto the wall of the blood vessel.

Claim 8

The filter of claim 1, wherein said appendices are each constituted by a bent portion at said free end of said respective leg.

Claim 9

The filter of claim 1, wherein said appendices are each constituted by a separate portion affixed to said free end region of said respective leg.

Claim 10

The filter of claim 5, wherein said legs comprising said respective appendices are shorter than said legs without said appendices.

Claim 11

The filter of claim 5, wherein said legs comprising said appendices are longer than said legs without said appendices.

Claim 12

The filter of claim 5, wherein said legs comprising said appendices and said legs without said appendices are of substantially the same length.

Claim 13

The filter of claim 6, wherein said hooking means comprise at least one hook situated on each said appendix.

Claim 14

The filter of claim 22, wherein said hooking means comprise two hooks situated on each said appendix.

Claim 15

The filter of claim 8, wherein at least one of said appendices is constituted by a member welded onto said respective leg.

Claim 16

The filter of claim 14, wherein said welded member is cup-shaped or shaped like an open V, and said respective leg is form from round metal wire.

Claim 17

Method for inserting a filter in a blood vessel, comprising the steps of inserting a tube containing the filter into the blood vessel, the filter having a plurality of legs extending from a head in a substantially conical corolla configuration, with at least some of the legs having respective appendices connected thereto in the region of free ends thereof, each appendix having a free end extending in the general direction of the head and which is set back with respect to the head; and ejecting the filter from the tube within the vessel, whereby the appendices are ejected therefrom prior to total release of the filter, so that the legs having the appendices are the first to bear on an inside wall of the blood vessel, and the filter is substantially positioned along an axis of the blood vessel.

Claim 18

Method for inserting a filter in a blood vessel, comprising the steps of inserting a tube containing the filter into the blood vessel, the filter having a plurality of legs extending from a head in a substantially conical corolla configuration, with at least some of the legs having respective appendices connected thereto in the region of free ends thereof, each appendix having a free end extending in the general direction of the head and which is set back with respect to the head; and ejecting the filter from the tube within the vessel, whereby the appendices are ejected therefrom prior to total release of the filter, so that the legs having the appendices are the first to bear on an inside wall of the blood vessel, and the filter is substantially positioned along an axis of the blood vessel.