Vascular filters, deflectors, and methods

Abstract

Vascular filters and deflectors and methods for filtering bodily fluids. A blood filtering assembly can capture embolic material dislodged or generated during an endovascular procedure to inhibit or prevent the material from entering the cerebral vasculature. A blood deflecting assembly can deflect embolic material dislodged or generated during an endovascular procedure to inhibit or prevent the material from entering the cerebral vasculature.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An embolic material protection device configured to inhibit embolic material from entering cerebral vasculature through a left vertebral artery, the device comprising:
 an outer sheath;
 an inner member radially inward of the outer sheath, the inner member comprising a guidewire lumen, the inner member trackable over a guidewire; and 
 a self-expanding filter assembly radially between the outer sheath and the inner member, the self-expanding filter assembly being deployable out of the outer sheath by at least one of proximally retracting the outer sheath and distally advancing the self-expanding filter assembly, the self-expanding filter assembly comprising: 
 a frame; and 
 a filter element coupled to the frame, 
   the inner member longitudinally movable independent of the self-expanding filter assembly and the outer sheath.