RAPID EXCHANGE VENA CAVA FILTER CATHETER AND METHOD OF USE

1 . A vena cava filter catheter system, comprising:

a catheter member having a proximal section and a distal section and a lumen passing through the catheter member;

a first opening passing through an outer wall of the catheter member, the first opening positioned intermediate the proximal section and the distal section of the catheter member;

a resilient seal disposed within the lumen of the catheter member and movably covering the first opening, the resilient seal being configured to accept a guidewire to pass through the first opening and into the lumen of the catheter member;

an elongate wire passing through the catheter member; and

an expandable vena cava filter member fixedly coupled to a distal end of the elongate wire, the expandable vena cava filter member having a collapsed state when within the distal section of the catheter member and an expanded state when outside the lumen of the catheter member, the expandable vena cava filter member being released from and retrieved into the lumen by longitudinal translation of the elongate wire within the catheter member.

2 . The vena cava filter system of claim 1 , further comprising a second opening passing through the outer wall of the catheter member, the second opening being positioned proximal to a distal end of the catheter member, wherein the second opening is configured to permit a contrast agent to be released therefrom.

3 . The vena cava filter system of claim 2 , further comprising a sleeve member having a third opening, the sleeve member being circumferentially joined about the distal end of the catheter member such that a proximal and distal end of the sleeve member are coupled to the catheter member, leaving an uncoupled intermediate section of the sleeve member covering the second opening of the catheter member.

4 . The vena cava filter system of claim 3 , further comprising a flow restrictor member positioned within the catheter remember proximal to the second opening.

5 . The vena cava filter system of claim 4 , wherein the flow restrictor member further comprises a generally cylindrical member having a central bore, the central bore having a diameter less than a diameter of the lumen of the catheter member.

6 . The vena cava filter system of claim 1 , wherein the first opening further comprises a rapid exchange guide wire port configured as an elongate opening having a distal opening and a proximal opening, the distal opening being larger relative to the proximal opening; wherein the distal opening has a circumferential extent relative to the circumference of the catheter member that is greater than the circumferential extent of the proximal opening.

7 . The vena cava filter system of claim 1 , wherein a proximal section of the resilient seal member is joined within the distal section of the catheter member; and wherein a circumferential portion of a distal section of the resilient seal member abuts a luminal aspect of and movably seals the first opening in the catheter member.

8 . The vena cava filter system of claim 1 , wherein the first opening in the second catheter member further comprises a rapid exchange guide wire port and the rapid exchange guide wire port comprises an elongate opening having a generally larger distal opening and a generally smaller proximal opening.

9 . The vena cava filter system of claim 1 , further comprising a proximal hub having at least two ports operably coupled to a proximal end of the catheter member, a first of the at least two ports being in fluid flow communication with the lumen of the catheter member, and a second of the at least two ports accommodating the elongate wire passing there through.

10 . The vena cava filter system of claim 9 , wherein the proximal hub further comprises a hemostasis seal in the second of the at least two ports accommodating the elongate wire.

11 . The vena cava filter system of claim 10 , wherein the hemostasis seal further comprises a resilient seal through which the elongate wire passes.

12 . The vena cava filter system of claim 10 , wherein the hemostasis seal further comprises a channel in the proximal hub through which the elongate wire passes and contacts walls of the channel to provide a hemostasis seal about the elongate wire; and wherein proximal hub is at least partially made of a resilient material and the channel is configured to open upon deformation of the resilient material and release substantial contact between the walls of the channel and the elongate wire.