Invertible intravascular filter

摘要

An intravascular filter for use in a body vessel lumen having a longitudinal axis, which may include a plurality of elongate filter members, each of the plurality having a first portion and having a first end and a second end, a plurality of anchoring members, each of the plurality of anchoring members joint to a first end of an elongate filter member, and a filter center portion, each elongate filter member second end joined to the filter center portion, wherein the plurality of elongate filter member first portions may extend radially outward and in a first longitudinal direction when the intravascular filter is disposed in the body vessel lumen, and wherein when the intravascular filter may be disposed in the body vessel lumen, the plurality of elongate filter member first portions are adapted to be moved from extending radially outward and in the first longitudinal direction to extending radially outward and in the second longitudinal direction.

主权项

1. An invertible vena cava filter, comprising:
an apical head; a plurality of filter legs extending from the apical head in a first generally axial direction in a first configuration, wherein each of the filter legs includes a first segment, a second segment slidably and rotatably joined at a joint to the first segment, and a third segment slidably and rotatably joined at a joint to the second segment; and wherein each segment has a first end toward the apical head and a second end toward the first generally axial direction, and the first end of the second segment is joined to the second end of the first segment and the first end of the third segment is joined to the second end of the second segment; wherein each of the filter legs includes an engagement member attached to the second end of the third segment, the engagement member including one or more barbs; wherein, while the engagement members are disposed at a fixed radius generally corresponding to the radius of the vena cava, a force applied to the apical head in the first axial direction urges the joints joining the first and second segments and the joints joining the second and third segments to rotate and slide cooperatively to allow the apical head to pass the engagement members axially whereupon the plurality of filter legs assume a second configuration in which said legs extend from the apical head in a second generally axial direction wherein the first and second axial directions are opposed.