Embolic protection devices having short landing zones

Abstract

The invention provides an embolic protection device for removing emboli from a blood vessel in a patient's body. The device comprises an elongate host element, an embolic protection element having a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration, and a flexible tether connected to a distal end of the host element and to a proximal portion of the embolic protection element. The tether allows the host element to move axially and laterally relative to the embolic protection element over a limited range of motion when the embolic protection element is in an expanded configuration. The embolic protection device has a landing zone of 4 cm or less.

1 . An embolic protection device for removing emboli from a blood vessel in a patient's body, comprising:
 an elongate host element;   an embolic protection element having a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration; and   a flexible tether connected to a distal end of the host element and to a proximal portion of the embolic protection element, the tether allowing the host element to move axially and laterally relative to the embolic protection element over a limited range of motion when the embolic protection element is in an expanded configuration, and   the embolic protection device having a landing zone of 4 cm or less.   
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device has a landing zone of 3 cm or less. 
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device has a landing zone of 2 cm or less. 
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device has a landing zone of 1 cm or less. 
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the embolic protection element comprises one or more connecting arms, an apposition ring, and a mesh, the one or more connecting arms each being connected to the tether and the apposition ring, and the apposition ring being connected to the mesh. 
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more connecting arms are connected to the tether by a marker. 
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the mesh comprises a tip. 
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the tip is centered in the mesh when the embolic protection element is in an expanded configuration. 
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the tip has a conical shape. 
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the embolic protection element expands to establish at least line contact with substantially all of a lumenal cross section of a 2 mm to 4 mm vessel. 
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the embolic protection element expands to establish at least line contact with substantially all of a lumenal cross section of a 3 mm to 6 mm vessel. 
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the embolic protection element expands to establish at least line contact with substantially all of a lumenal cross section of a 4 mm to 7 mm vessel. 
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the embolic protection element expands to establish at least line contact with substantially all of a lumenal cross section of a 2 mm to 7 mm vessel. 
   
   
       14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the embolic protection element expands to establish at least line contact with substantially all of a lumenal cross section of a 5 mm to 12 mm vessel. 
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the embolic protection element expands to establish at least line contact with substantially all of a lumenal cross section of a 10 mm to 20 mm vessel. 
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the embolic protection element expands to establish at least line contact with substantially all of a lumenal cross section of a 20 mm to 35 mm vessel. 
   
   
       17 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the mesh is a filtering mesh and has a shape in the expanded configuration which defines an interior portion having a proximal facing opening. 
   
   
       18 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein in the expanded configuration of the embolic protection element, the apposition ring has a maximum diameter and the maximum diameter of the mesh is greater than the maximum diameter of the apposition ring. 
   
   
       19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the maximum diameter of the mesh is at least 10 percent greater than the maximum diameter of the apposition ring. 
   
   
       20 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the connecting arms are disposed only within the interior portion of the filtering mesh and a lumen of the apposition ring when the embolic protection element is in the expanded configuration. 
   
   
       21 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the apposition ring comprises one or more serpentine rows. 
   
   
       22 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the apposition ring comprises one or more interconnected cells. 
   
   
       23 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the apposition ring comprises a slotted tube. 
   
   
       24 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the embolic protection device comprises a filtering mesh. 
   
   
       25 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the embolic protection device is fully occlusive. 
   
   
       26 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the mesh is a filtering mesh that comprises a polymer film having holes. 
   
   
       27 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the mesh is a filtering mesh that comprises braided metal strands. 
   
   
       28 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the embolic protection element is self-expanding. 
   
   
       29 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the embolic protection element is self-contracting. 
   
   
       30 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the embolic protection element is actively expanded. 
   
   
       31 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the embolic protection element is actively contracted. 
   
   
       32 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the embolic protection device comprises radiopaque portions. 
   
   
       33 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the elongate host element has a length of from 60 cm to 320 cm. 
   
   
       34 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the distal end of the host element can be moved axially 5 cm without disturbing the position of the embolic protection element when the embolic protection element is in the expanded configuration. 
   
   
       35 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the maximum apposition ring diameter is from 1 mm to 35 mm. 
   
   
       36 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the mesh comprises radiopaque materials. 
   
   
       37 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the mesh is a filtering mesh and the mesh is held taught when the embolic protection element is in the expanded configuration. 
   
   
       38 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises a sheath disposed over a portion of the embolic protection element. 
   
   
       39 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the tether is in the form of a string. 
   
   
       40 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the tether is in the form of a coil. 
   
   
       41 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the elongate host element is a wire. 
   
   
       42 . A method for removing emboli from a blood vessel in a patient's body comprising:
 providing an embolic protection device comprising:
 an elongate host element; 
 an embolic protection element having a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration; and 
 a flexible tether connected to a distal end of the host element and to a proximal portion of the embolic protection element, the tether allowing the host element to move axially and laterally relative to the embolic protection element over a limited range of motion when the embolic protection element is in an expanded configuration, and 
 the embolic protection device having a landing zone of 4 cm or less; and 
   introducing the embolic protection device into a vessel in the patient's body.   
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 42 , further comprising advancing the embolic protection device through the vessel until the embolic protection element is positioned at a desired location distal to a treatment site and deploying the embolic protection element to its expanded configuration. 
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the device further comprises a sheath disposed over a portion of the embolic protection element. 
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 44 , further comprising advancing the embolic protection device through the vessel until the embolic protection element is positioned at a desired location distal to a treatment site and deploying the embolic protection element to its expanded configuration by removing the sheath from the embolic protection element. 
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein a guide catheter or guide lumen is advanced into the vessel in the patient's body to assist in introducing the embolic protection device. 
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein a recovery catheter is used to recover the embolic protection device. 
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 42 , further comprising advancing a medical device for diagnosis or treatment over the elongate host element.