Temporary embolic protection device and medical procedure for delivery thereof

1. A method for preventing embolic material from entering a plurality of side branch vessels from an aortic arch of a patient, said method comprising:

percutaneously introducing a collapsible embolic protection device in a collapsed state, said protection device comprising a first wire portion for delivering the device in the aortic arch and a protection unit comprising a sheet of a selectively permeable material attached to, or an integral part of, a support member provided in the form of a second wire portion which is surrounding an entire perimeter of said sheet of selectively permeable material and expanding the sheet of selectively permeable material along a length and a width so that said sheet of selectively permeable material obtains a non-tubular shape, wherein a perimeter of said support member comprises a connection point permanently attached to said first wire portion at a proximal portion of said perimeter of said support member;

delivering said collapsed protection device into the aortic arch using the first wire portion;

expanding said protection unit into an expanded state in which the support member is arranged laterally in said aortic arch and the support member is extending from the ascending aorta to the descending aorta; wherein the protection unit is expanded starting at a distal portion of said support member;

extending, when said protection unit is in said expanded state, said protection device in a longitudinal direction, so that said distal portion of said support member engages with a lateral wall of the ascending aorta and said proximal portion of said support member engages with a lateral wall of the descending aorta; and

covering a plurality of side branch vessel ostia to prevent embolic material from entering into said plurality of side branch vessels from the aortic arch while allowing blood to flow from the aortic arch and into said plurality of side branch vessels;

retracting the protection device by the first wire portion which is attached during a procedure to said connection point.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said delivering, expanding, and covering are performed without contacting said plurality of side branch vessels or said plurality of side branch vessel ostia.

3. The method of claim 1 , and further comprising collapsing and withdrawing said protective device.

4. The method of claim 1 , and further comprising pushing the first wire portion in a delivery direction to release the protection unit from engagement with the vessel tissue portion of the aortic arch.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising sliding a sheath over said protection unit, collapsing said protection unit into said sheath, and withdrawing said collapsible embolic protection device in said sheath.

6. The method of claim 5 , and further comprising performing a medical procedure after covering the plurality of side branch vessel ostia and before withdrawing said protection device, wherein said medical procedure comprises cardiac surgery, interventional cardiology, an electrophysiology procedure, cardiac ablation, or combinations of these.

7. The method of claim 1 , said covering comprises encircling ostia of said plurality of side branch vessel inside the aortic arch with said support member when the protection device is in said expanded state.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said encircling comprises drawing the protection unit into a direction opposite a delivery direction to tension and tighten said support member against said vessel tissue portion of the aortic arch.

9. An improvement in a method for performing an electrophysiology procedure that may produce embolic material, a cardiac ablation procedure that may produce embolic material, or a combination of these, said improvement comprising:

percutaneously introducing a collapsible embolic protection device in a collapsed state, said protection device comprising a first wire portion for delivering said device to the aortic arch and a protection unit comprising a sheet of a selectively permeable material attached to, or an integral part of, a support member provided in the form of a second wire portion which is surrounding an entire periphery of said sheet of selectively permeable material and expanding said sheet of selectively permeable material along a length and width so that said sheet of selectively permeable material obtains a non-tubular shape, wherein a perimeter of said support member comprises a permanent connection point at a proximal portion of said perimeter of said support member;

delivering said collapsed protection device into the aortic arch by said first wire portion;

expanding said protection unit into an expanded state in which the support member is arranged laterally in said aortic arch and the support member is extending from the ascending aorta to the descending aorta; wherein said protection unit is initially expanded at a distal portion of said support member;

extending, when said protection unit is in said expanded state, said protection device in a longitudinal direction, so that said distal portion of said support member engages with a lateral wall of the ascending aorta and said proximal portion of said support member engages with a lateral wall of the descending aorta;

covering a plurality of side branch vessel ostia to prevent embolic material from entering into said plurality of side branch vessels from the aortic arch while allowing blood to flow from the aortic arch and into said plurality of side branch vessels;

performing said electrophysiology procedure;

collapsing and withdrawing said protective device; and,

retracting said protection device by said first wire portion which is attached during said procedure to said permanent connection point.

10. The improvement of claim 9 , wherein said covering a plurality of side branch vessel ostia is performed without contacting said plurality of side branch vessels or said plurality of side branch vessel ostia.

11. A method for preventing embolic material from entering a plurality of side branch vessels from an aortic arch of a patient, said method comprising:

percutaneously introducing a collapsible embolic protection device in a collapsed state, said protection device comprising a first wire portion for delivering the device to the aortic arch and a protection unit comprising a sheet of a selectively permeable material attached to, or an integral part of, a support member provided in the form of a second wire portion, the support member surrounding an entire perimeter of said sheet of selectively permeable material and expanding said sheet of selectively permeable material along a length and width so that said sheet of selectively permeable material obtains a non-tubular shape, wherein a perimeter of said support member comprises a connection point permanently attached to said first wire portion at a proximal portion of said perimeter of said support member;

delivering said collapsed protection device into the aortic arch;

expanding said protection unit into an expanded state in which the support member is arranged laterally in said aortic arch and said support member is extending from the ascending aorta to the descending aorta; wherein said protection unit is expanded first from a distal portion of said support member;

extending, when said protection unit is in said expanded state, said protection device in a longitudinal direction, so that said distal portion of said support member engages with a lateral wall of the ascending aorta and said proximal portion of said support member engages with a lateral wall of the descending aorta;

covering a plurality of side branch vessel ostia to prevent embolic material from entering into said plurality of side branch vessels from the aortic arch while allowing blood to flow from the aortic arch and into said plurality of side branch vessels;

collapsing and withdrawing said protective device; and

retracting said protection device by said first wire portion which is attached during said procedure to said connection point.

12. The improvement of claim 11 , wherein said covering a plurality of side branch vessel ostia is performed without contacting said plurality of side branch vessels or said plurality of side branch vessel ostia.