EMBOLIC PROTECTION DURING PERCUTANEOUS HEART VALVE REPLACEMENT AND SIMILAR PROCEDURES

摘要

Various devices are described to provide filtering of flow from the aorta to the left carotid artery and the right carotid artery. The filters can be brought into a desired position through one or more peripheral arteries. A single filter device can provide the desired filtering or a plurality of devices can be used. In particular a single filter device can span between the brachiocephalic artery and the left carotid artery. These filter devices can be used effectively to capture emboli generated during procedures on the heart so that emboli do not travel to the patient's brain where the emboli can cause a stroke or other adverse event. In particular, these filters can be used during percutaneous procedures on the heart, such as endovascular heart valve replacement.