Staged release of ivc filter legs

Abstract

A catheter for stage-delivering a vena cava filter within a body lumen is disclosed. The catheter may comprise an elongated tubular member having a proximal section, a distal section, and an inner lumen configured to receive an intravascular filter. One or more notches or slits radially disposed about the distal end of the catheter may be utilized to stage-deploy the filter within the body. Several grooves or indentations disposed along an inner surface of the catheter may also be employed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A catheter, comprising: 
 an elongated tubular member having a proximal section, a distal section, and an inner lumen;    an intravascular filter disposed within the lumen; and    one or more notches or slits radially disposed about the distal end of said distal section.    
     
     
         2 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more notches or slits are radially disposed at equidistant intervals about the distal end of said distal section.  
     
     
         3 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more notches or slits are formed at differing depths about the distal end of said distal section.  
     
     
         4 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more notches or slits comprise two sets of opposing notches.  
     
     
         5 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein said intravascular filter is a vena cava filter.  
     
     
         6 . The catheter of  claim 5 , wherein said vena cava filter is front-loaded into the catheter for placement through a femoral artery.  
     
     
         7 . The catheter of  claim 5 , wherein said vena cava filter is back-loaded into the catheter for placement through the jugular vein.  
     
     
         8 . The catheter of  claim 5 , wherein said vena cava filter includes a plurality of expandable filter legs coupled to an apical head.  
     
     
         9 . The catheter of  claim 8 , wherein each of said plurality of expandable filter legs includes a hook region.  
     
     
         10 . The catheter of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more grooves or indentations formed along an inner surface of the distal section.  
     
     
         11 . The catheter of  claim 10 , wherein each of the one or more grooves or indentations is radially aligned with a corresponding one of the one or more notches or slits.  
     
     
         12 . The catheter of  claim 10 , wherein said one or more grooves or indentations correspond in number and arrangement with said one or more notches.  
     
     
         13 . A catheter, comprising: 
 an elongated tubular member having a proximal section, a distal section, and an inner lumen configured to receive a vena cava filter therein;    one or more notches or slits radially disposed about the distal end of said distal section; and    one or more groves or indentations formed along an inner surface of said distal section.    
     
     
         14 . The catheter of  claim 13 , wherein said catheter is configured to permit stage-deployment of the vena cava filter within a body lumen.  
     
     
         15 . The catheter of  claim 13 , wherein said one or more notches or slits are radially disposed at equidistant intervals about the distal end of said distal section.  
     
     
         16 . The catheter of  claim 13 , wherein said one or more notches or slits are formed at differing depths about the distal end of said distal section.  
     
     
         17 . The catheter of  claim 13 , wherein said one or more notches or slits comprise two sets of opposing notches.  
     
     
         18 . The catheter of  claim 13 , wherein said vena cava filter is front-loaded into the catheter for placement through a femoral artery.  
     
     
         19 . The catheter of  claim 13 , wherein said vena cava filter is back-loaded into the catheter for placement through the jugular vein.  
     
     
         20 . The catheter of  claim 13 , wherein said vena cava filter includes a plurality of expandable filter legs coupled to an apical head.  
     
     
         21 . The catheter of  claim 20 , wherein each of said plurality of expandable filter legs includes a hook region.  
     
     
         22 . The catheter of  claim 13 , wherein each of the one or more grooves or indentations is radially aligned with a corresponding one of the one or more notches or slits.  
     
     
         23 . The catheter of  claim 13 , wherein said one or more grooves or indentations correspond in number with said one or more notches.  
     
     
         24 . A catheter, comprising: 
 an elongated tubular member having a proximal section, a distal section, and an inner lumen configured to receive a vena cava filter therein, said vena cava filter comprising a plurality of expandable filter legs each having a hook region;    one or more notches or slits radially disposed at equidistant intervals about the distal end of said distal section; and    one or more groves or indentations formed along an inner surface of said distal section, said one or more grooves or indentations configured to slidably receive a corresponding hook region on each of said plurality of filter legs;    wherein the catheter is configured to permit stage-deployment of the vena cava filter within a body lumen.    
     
     
         25 . The catheter of  claim 24 , wherein said one or more notches or slits are formed at differing depths about the distal end of said distal section.  
     
     
         26 . The catheter of  claim 24 , wherein said one or more notches or slits comprise two sets of opposing notches.  
     
     
         27 . The catheter of  claim 24 , wherein said vena cava filter is front-loaded into the catheter for placement through a femoral artery.  
     
     
         28 . The catheter of  claim 24 , wherein said vena cava filter is back-loaded into the catheter for placement through the jugular vein.  
     
     
         29 . The catheter of  claim 24 , wherein each of the one or more grooves or indentations is radially aligned with a corresponding one of the one or more notches or slits.  
     
     
         30 . The catheter of  claim 24 , wherein said one or more grooves or indentations correspond in number with said one or more notches.  
     
     
         31 . A method of stage-deploying a vena cava filter within a body lumen, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a catheter having a proximal section, a distal section, and an inner lumen, said catheter including one or more notches or slits radially disposed about the distal end of said distal section;    loading a vena cava filter into the inner lumen of said catheter, said vena cava filter having a plurality of expandable filter legs;    inserting the catheter into a body lumen;    positioning the distal section of the catheter at a desired location within the body; and    stage-deploying the vena cava filter within said body lumen.    
     
     
         32 . A method of stage-deploying a vena cava filter within a body lumen, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a catheter having a proximal section, a distal section, and an inner lumen, said catheter including one or more notches or slits radially disposed about the distal end of said distal section;    loading a vena cava filter into the inner lumen of said catheter, said vena cava filter having a plurality of expandable filter legs;    inserting the catheter into a body lumen;    positioning the distal section of the catheter at a desired location within the body;    withdrawing the catheter to a first position, wherein a first set of filter legs is deployed; and    withdrawing the catheter to a second position, wherein a second set of filter legs is deployed.