INTRAVASCULAR DEVICE FOR FILTERING EMBOLI

摘要

There is provided a filter for use with a vascular occlusion device of the type having an elongated shaft and a number of radially expandable struts located near a distal end of said shaft. The filter comprises a hollow body made of a flexible material, with a proximal end and a distal end, and a region of maximum widthwise dimension located between the proximal end and the distal end. The body tapers from the proximal end to the region of maximum widthwise dimension and from the region of maximum widthwise dimension to the distal end. A number of pores are formed in the body, and the pores being sized to prevent emboli from flowing past the distal end when the filter is employed in the vasculature of a patient. Also disclosed are a web for preventing formation of thrombus on the struts of a vascular occlusion device, and a method for removing accumulated emboli from a filter.