EMBOLIC PROTECTION DEVICE WITH OUTER SHEATH OF VARYING STIFFNESS

摘要

A method and apparatus for simplifying carotid artery stenting and/or angioplasty provides for the use of a filter wire system (100), which employs a sliding sheath (130). The sheath has an undeployed state and a deployed state, wherein in the undeployed state a distal region (132) of the sheath is disposed about an embolic protection filter (120) and a proximal region extends proximal from the distal region. At least a portion of the proximal region has a first end region, a second end region and a length there between. The first end region is proximal of the second end region. The at least a portion of the proximal region has a graduated stiffness along the length, wherein the stiffness is greatest at the first end region and is least at the second end region.