Flattened tip filter wire design

1. An embolic protection filtering device, comprising:

a shaft;

one or more struts coupled to the shaft;

a filter loop coupled to the one or more struts, the filter loop including a first section having a generally circular cross-section and a second flattened ribbon section, the second flattened ribbon section including a thinned region; and

a filter membrane coupled to the filter loop and extending distally therefrom; wherein the ribbon section is disposed opposite the shaft.

2. The filtering device of claim 1 , wherein the shaft includes a guidewire.

3. The filtering device of claim 1 , wherein the shaft includes a tubular filter cartridge.

4. The filtering device of claim 1 , further comprising a coil disposed about a portion of the filter loop.

5. The filtering device of claim 4 , wherein the coil includes a radiopaque material.

6. The filtering device of claim 1 , wherein a coil is disposed on the generally circular first section.

7. The filtering device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more struts are continuous with the filter loop.

8. A medical device, comprising:

a tubular filter cartridge;

a fiber defining a strut and filter loop assembly, the fiber including a proximal end, a first strut section, a filter loop section, a second strut section, and a distal end;

wherein the proximal end and the distal end of the fiber are coupled to the filter cartridge;

wherein the filter loop section includes a coil region, a section having a generally circular cross-section, and a flattened region, the flattened region further having a thinned section; a filter membrane coupled to the filter loop section; and wherein further comprising a loop tip disposed adjacent the flattened region.

9. The medical device of claim 8 , wherein the coil region is defined by a coil disposed about a portion of the filter loop section.

10. The medical device of claim 9 , wherein the coil includes a radiopaque material.

11. The medical device of claim 8 , wherein the loop tip is defined by the thinned section of the flattened region.

12. An embolic protection filtering device, comprising:

a shaft;

a filter loop and strut assembly coupled to the shaft, the assembly including a strut region and a filter loop region;

the strut region including one or more struts;

the filter loop region including a section of generally circular cross-section and a section of generally squared or rectangular cross-section;

wherein the generally rectangular cross-section includes a loop tip;

a radiopaque coil disposed about the section of generally circular cross-section; and

a filter membrane coupled to the filter loop region;

wherein the loop tip is defined by a thinned section of the filter loop region.

13. The filtering device of claim 12 , wherein the shaft includes a guidewire.

14. The filtering device of claim 12 , wherein the shaft includes a tubular filter cartridge.

15. A medical device, comprising:

a tubular filter cartridge;

one or more struts disposed about the filter cartridge;

a filter loop including a first section having a generally circular cross-section and a second section having a generally flattened loop tip with a generally rectangular cross-section; and wherein the loop tip is defined by a thinned section of the filter loop;

a filter membrane coupled to the filter loop;

the one or more struts extending between the filter loop and the filter cartridge; and

means for visualizing the filter loop.