Particle-removing medical device and method

Abstract

A particle-removing medical device includes an outer, hollow tube having a tube distal end and a porous braided structure having a distal part and a proximal part. Structure, housed within the tube and having a distal end positioned distally of the tube distal end, is used to move the braided structure from a contracted condition to an expanded condition by moving the distal ends of the tube and the structure towards one another. The braided structure is constructed to inhibit particles from moving completely through the braided structure when in the expanded condition.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A medical device comprising: 
 means for removing particles from a lumen within the body comprising: 
 an outer, hollow tube having a tube distal end;  
 a porous braided structure having a distal part and a proximal part;  
 means, housed within the tube and having a distal end positioned distally of the tube distal end, for moving the braided structure from a contracted condition to an expanded condition by moving at least one of the tube and moving means distal ends towards the other; and  
   the braided structure comprising means for inhibiting particles from moving completely through the braided structure when in the expanded condition.    
     
     
         2 . The device as in  claim 1  where said braided structure has a porous proximal side and a porous distal side.  
     
     
         3 . The device as in  claim 2  wherein said distal side has smaller pores than the proximal side.  
     
     
         4 . The device as in  claim 3  wherein said braided structure comprises a section of a tubular, porous braided structure having alternating first and second braided sections, said first braided sections, corresponding to said distal side, having pore sizes smaller than the second braided sections, corresponding to said proximal side.  
     
     
         5 . The device as in  claim 1  further comprising a porous membrane adjacent to the braided structure, the membrane having smaller pores than the braided structure.  
     
     
         6 . The device as in  claim 5  wherein said porous membrane is an elastic membrane.  
     
     
         7 . The device as in  claim 1  further comprising a porous membrane in contact with the braided structure, the membrane having smaller pores than the braided structure, whereby the braided structure and the porous membrane therewith are adapted to inhibit particles from moving completely through the braided structure when in the expanded condition.  
     
     
         8 . A medical device comprising: 
 means for removing particles from a lumen within the body comprising: 
 an outer, hollow tube having a tube distal end;  
 a porous braided structure having a porous proximal side, a porous distal side, a distal part and a proximal part;  
 means, housed within the tube and having a distal end positioned distally of the tube distal end, for moving the braided structure from a contracted condition to an expanded condition by moving at least one of the tube and moving means distal ends towards the other;  
   a porous elastic membrane in contact with the porous distal side of the braided structure, the membrane having smaller pores than the braided structure; and    the braided structure and porous membrane therewith comprising means for inhibiting particles from moving completely through the braided structure when in the expanded condition.    
     
     
         9 . A medical device comprising: 
 means for removing particles from a lumen within the body comprising: 
 an outer, hollow tube having a tube distal end;  
 a porous braided structure having a distal part and a proximal part;  
 means, housed within the tube and having a distal end positioned distally of the tube distal end, for moving the braided structure from a contracted condition to an expanded condition by moving at least one of the tube and moving means distal ends towards the other;  
 the braided structure being a temperature-sensitive shape memory material so that the braided structure is also movable from a contracted condition to an expanded condition by heating the temperature-sensitive braided material; and  
 the braided structure comprising means for inhibiting particles from moving completely through the braided structure when in the expanded condition.  
   
     
     
         10 . A medical device comprising: 
 means for removing particles from a lumen within the body comprising: 
 an outer, hollow tube having a tube distal end;  
 a porous braided structure having a porous proximal side, a porous distal side, a distal part and a proximal part;  
 means, housed within the tube and having a distal end positioned distally of the tube distal end, for moving the braided structure from a contracted condition to an expanded condition by moving at least one of the tube and moving means distal ends towards the other;  
 the braided structure being a temperature-sensitive shape memory material so that the braided structure is also movable from a contracted condition to an expanded condition by heating the temperature-sensitive braided material;  
 a porous elastic membrane in contact with the porous distal side of the braided structure, the membrane having smaller pores than the braided structure; and  
 the braided structure and porous membrane therewith adapted to inhibit particles from moving completely through the braided structure when in the expanded condition.  
   
     
     
         11 . A method for removing particulates from a body lumen comprising: 
 placing a filter device at a chosen position within a body lumen;    fully occluding the body lumen at the chosen position by expanding a braided structure at the chosen position;    removing particulates from a portion of the body lumen on one side of the chosen position by introducing liquid into and removing liquid from said portion;    collapsing the braided structure; and    removing the filter device from the body lumen.    
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11  wherein the placing step is a percutaneous placing step.  
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11  wherein the expanding step is carried out using a braided structure mounted to first and second the elongate members.  
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 11  wherein the expanding step is carried out using a fully sealed braided structure.  
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 11  wherein the expanding step is carried out using a partially sealed braided structure.  
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 11  wherein the expanding step is carried out using a porous braided structure.  
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 11  wherein the removing step is carried out so that the portion is proximal of the braided structure.  
     
     
         18 . A method for forming an occlusion system within a lumen of a body to trap particles comprising the following steps: 
 positioning the distal portion of a medical device at a target site within a lumen of a body, the medial device comprising: 
 an outer, hollow tube having a tube distal end;  
 an inner member housed within the tube and having an inner member distal end positioned distally of the tube distal end; and  
 a braided structure having a distal part secured to the inner member distal end and a proximal part secured to the tube distal end;  
   moving the braided structure from a contracted condition to an expanded condition by moving the tube and inner member distal ends toward one another thereby at least substantially obstructing the lumen at the target site, the braided structure adapted to inhibit particles from moving completely through the braided structure when in the expanded condition.    
     
     
         19 . A vascular prosthesis comprising: 
 a braided body;    said braided body having a variable porosity to allow for a variable obstruction to flow through the braided body according to the location along the braided body.    
     
     
         20 . The prosthesis of  claim 19  wherein the body is a balloon-expandable body.  
     
     
         21 . The prosthesis of  claim 19  wherein the body is a self-expanding body.  
     
     
         22 . The prosthesis of  claim 19  wherein the body is a self-expanding body and is also expandable to a desired size by an inflatable balloon.  
     
     
         23 . The prosthesis of  claim 19  wherein the material used to make the body is selected from the group consisting of tantalum, shape memory nickel-titanium alloy, wool, nylon, polyethylene, polyester, stainless steel alloy, titanium and PTFE.  
     
     
         24 . The prosthesis of  claim 19  wherein the body is coated with a textile fabric.  
     
     
         25 . The prosthesis of  claim 19  further comprising a drug associated with the body.  
     
     
         26 . The prosthesis of  claim 19  wherein said body comprises temporary energy dispersal means for helping prevent restenosis.