Embolic protection devices having radiopaque elements

1. A device for filtering emboli from blood flowing through a lumen defined by the walls of a vessel in a patient's body, comprising:

a filter element being expandable from a collapsed configuration when the filter element is restrained to an expanded configuration when the filter element is unrestrained, the filter element comprising a mesh, and

an elongate support member, the filter being carried on a portion of the elongate support member,

wherein the filter element has proximal and distal portions and a central portion, the filter element having a shape in the expanded configuration which defines a cavity having a proximal facing opening, the proximal facing opening having a perimeter,

wherein the proximal portion of the filter element comprises a radiopaque element in the form of a single discontinuous loop having first and second ends, the single discontinuous loop extending around a portion of the perimeter of the proximal facing opening, the single discontinuous loop having a gap and the gap being proximate to the elongate support member, the single discontinuous loop being sized and positioned such that a first portion of the gap extends along the perimeter between the elongate support member and the first end of the single discontinuous loop and a second portion of the gap extends along the perimeter between the elongate support member and the second end of the single discontinuous loop, the single discontinuous loop being disposed around 50 to 90 percent of the perimeter of the proximal facing opening, and the single discontinuous loop being directly attached only to the mesh,

wherein the mesh of the filter element is directly attached to proximal and distal markers, each proximal and distal marker being disposed on the elongate support member and each proximal and distal marker being slidable with respect to the elongate support member and with respect to each other, and

wherein the elongate support member comprises a single stop between the proximal and distal markers that limits the movement of the proximal and distal markers.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein radiopaque element is made of metal or metal alloy.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the radiopaque element is made of gold, platinum, tungsten, tantalum, and alloys thereof.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the radiopaque element is interwoven through the mesh.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the mesh is braided.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the filter element is self-expanding.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the filter element is self-contracting.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the elongate support member is disposed within the cavity.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the radiopaque element is disposed around 70 to 80 percent of the perimeter of the proximal facing opening.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the radiopaque element is a monofilament.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the radiopaque element is a wire.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the radiopaque element is a coiled wire.

13. The device of claim 1 , wherein the radiopaque element is a wire comprising coiled segments and uncoiled segments.

14. The device of claim 1 , wherein the radiopaque element is a multifilament wire.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the multifilament wire comprises a wire coiled around a core wire.

16. The device of claim 1 , wherein the radiopaque element comprises a tang.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the radiopaque element comprises two connection loops and two bands.

18. The device of claim 17 , wherein each connection loop encircles a portion of the mesh.

19. The device of claim 16 , wherein the radiopaque element comprises two bands.

20. The device of claim 19 , wherein the radiopaque element comprises two connection loops and each band encircles a portion of the mesh and a portion of one of the connection loops.

21. The device of claim 1 , wherein the radiopaque element comprises a coiled portion, a connection loop, and a band, the connection loop encircling a portion of the mesh, and at least a portion of the band being covered by a protective mass.

22. The device of claim 1 , wherein the radiopaque element comprises a first connection loop encircling a portion of the mesh, a second connection loop and a first band disposed proximate the second connection loop, a third connection loop and a second band disposed proximate the third connection loop, the second connection loop and the first band being disposed within the third connection loop.

23. The device of claim 1 , wherein the radiopaque element comprises a coiled portion, a central wire disposed within the coiled portion, a connection loop, and a band, the connection loop encircling a portion of the mesh.

24. The device of claim 1 , wherein the radiopaque element comprises a protective mass.

25. The device of claim 1 , wherein the radiopaque element comprises an enlarged end that prevents it from passing through a band.

26. The device of claim 1 , wherein the radiopaque element comprises a wire that has an end portion and the wire comprises a connection loop, an end portion of the wire being coiled back onto the wire to secure the connection loop.

27. The device of claim 26 , wherein the coiled portion of the wire is covered by a band.

28. The device of claim 26 , wherein the coiled portion of the wire is covered by a protective mass.

29. The device of claim 1 , wherein the radiopaque element comprises a wire, a connection loop, and a band, the wire having an enlarged diameter portion proximate the band.

30. The device of claim 1 , wherein the radiopaque element comprises a wire, a connection loop, and a band, the connection loop being attached to the mesh with a flexible strand.

31. The device of claim 1 , wherein the radiopaque element comprises two bands at end portions of the single discontinuous loop.

32. The device of claim 31 , wherein the radiopaque element comprises two connection loops and each band encircles a portion of one of the two connection loops.

33. A method of deploying a device for filtering emboli from blood flowing through a lumen defined by the walls of a vessel in a patient's body comprising:

providing the device for filtering emboli, the device comprising a filter element being expandable from a collapsed configuration when the filter element is restrained to an expanded configuration when the filter element is unrestrained, the filter element comprising a mesh, and

an elongate support member, the filter being carried on a portion of the elongate support member,

wherein the filter element has proximal and distal portions and a central portion, the filter element having a shape in the expanded configuration which defines a cavity having a proximal facing opening, the proximal facing opening having a perimeter,

wherein the proximal portion of the filter element comprises a radiopaque element in the form of a single discontinuous loop having first and second ends, the single discontinuous loop extending around a portion of the perimeter of the proximal facing opening, the single discontinuous loop having a gap and the gap being proximate to the elongate support member, the single discontinuous loop being sized and positioned such that a first portion of the gap extends along the perimeter between the elongate support member and the first end of the single discontinuous loop and a second portion of the gap extends along the perimeter between the elongate support member and the second end of the single discontinuous loop, the single discontinuous loop being disposed around 50 to 90 percent of the perimeter of the proximal facing opening, and the single discontinuous loop being directly attached only to the mesh,

wherein the mesh of the filter element is directly attached to proximal and distal markers, each proximal and distal marker being disposed on the elongate support member and each proximal and distal marker being slidable with respect to the elongate support member and with respect to each other, and

wherein the elongate support member comprises a single stop between the proximal and distal markers that limits the movement of the proximal and distal markers;

delivering the device percutaneously to a region of interest in the lumen of the patient's body; and

using fluoroscopy to visualize the filter element in the lumen of the patient's body.