REMOVABLE HELICAL MEDICAL FILTER
A medical filter intended for placement inside a tubular body passage such as a blood vessel of a patient, the medical filter having a plurality of arms radiating from an elongated spine in a helical pattern.
1 . An elongated medical filter which has a longitudinal axis, is radially expandable and compressible and is intended for placement inside a tubular body passage, such as a blood vessel, of a patient. In expanded form, the medical filter comprises:
(A) a longitudinally extending spine with a retrieval element at one end thereof;
(B) a plurality of filter arms spaced longitudinally on said spine in a helical pattern, each of arms extending generally radially outwardly and axially from said spine with a free end bent radially inwardly.
2 . A medical filter as in claim 1 , wherein the arms of each truncated filter basket are radially spaced at 60° radial angles.
3 . A medical filter as in claim 1 , wherein the arms are spaced at about 30° radial angles.
4 . A medical filter as in claim 1 , wherein each arm carries an additional element at the free end portion thereof to increase filtering efficiency.
5 . A medical filter as in claim 1 , wherein said spine is comprised of a flexible material.
6 . The medical filter of claim 1 , wherein said retrieval element is a hook.
7 . The medical filter of claim 1 , wherein said filter is comprised of Nitinol.
8 . The medical filter of claim 1 wherein said filter is comprised of stainless steel.
9 . The medical filter of claim 1 wherein said arms are comprised of wire.
10 . The medical filter of claim 1 wherein said arms are cut from tubing.
11 . In combination with a vessel of a human body, an elongated medical filter comprising:
(A) a longitudinally extending spine with a retrieval element at one end thereof;
(B) a plurality of filter arms spaced longitudinally on said spine in a helical pattern, each of arms extending generally radially outwardly and axially from said spine with a free end bent radially inwardly.
12 . A medical filter as in claim 11 , wherein the arms of each truncated filter basket are radially spaced at 60° radial angles.
13 . A medical filter as in claim 11 , wherein the arms are spaced at about 30° radial angles.
14 . A medical filter as in claim 11 , wherein each arm carries an additional element at the free end portion thereof to increase filtering efficiency.
15 . A medical filter as in claim 11 , wherein said spine is comprised of a flexible material.
16 . The medical filter of claim 11 , wherein said retrieval element is a hook.
17 . The medical filter of claim 11 , wherein said filter is comprised of Nitinol.
18 . The medical filter of claim 11 wherein said filter is comprised of stainless steel.
19 . The medical filter of claim 11 wherein said arms are comprised of wire.
20 . The medical filter of claim 11 wherein said arms are cut from tubing.