A vessel filter movable between a collapsed position for delivery to the vessel and an expanded position for placement within the vessel. The first region has a filter portion having a converging region to direct particles toward the center of the filter, the first region including a plurality of spaced apart elongated struts and a plurality of connecting struts extending at an angle from the elongated struts. The second region is flared in the expanded position to have a transverse dimension increasing toward a second end portion opposite the filter portion, the second region including a plurality of vessel engaging hooks. The hooks have a heel portion and a vessel penetrating portion, the vessel penetrating portion having a plurality of teeth and the heel portion extending further from the caudal end than the penetrating portion.
1. A vessel filter comprising a central longitudinal axis and a first region at a cranial end and a second region at a caudal end, the filter movable between a collapsed position for delivery to a vessel and an expanded position for placement within the vessel, the first region having a filter portion having a converging region to direct particles toward a center of the filter, the first region including a plurality of spaced apart elongated struts and a plurality of connecting struts extending at an angle from the elongated struts, a retrieval hook positioned at a proximal portion of the filter, the second region being flared in the expanded position to have a transverse dimension increasing toward a second end portion opposite the filter portion, the second region including a plurality of struts and a plurality of vessel engaging hooks, each of the hooks having a heel portion and a vessel penetrating portion, the vessel penetrating portion having a first curved wall facing the cranial end of the filter and a second curved wall opposite the first curved wall facing the caudal end of the filter, and a third wall joining the first and second walls and extending in a different direction than the second curved wall, the second curved wall having a plurality of teeth extending therefrom in a first direction to point toward the caudal end of the filter, and a penetrating tip pointing in a second direction different than the first direction and directed toward the cranial end of the filter and the heel portion having a curved wall portion forming a tip of the heel portion extending further from the caudal end than the penetrating portion, and the plurality of struts in the second region having an elongated reduced transverse dimension closer to the cranial end than the first curved wall is to the cranial end.
2. The vessel filter of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of struts in the second region terminate in the vessel engaging hooks.
3. The vessel filter of claim 1 , wherein the struts of the second region have a longitudinal axis, and the heel extends at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the struts of the second region.
4. The vessel filter of claim 1 , wherein the filter is formed from a laser cut tube and composed of shape memory material.
5. The vessel filter of claim 1 , wherein the retrieval hook has a cutout exposing an internal annular surface, the annular surface dimensioned to receive a portion of a retrieval sheath.
6. The vessel filter of claim 5 , wherein the penetrating tip extends in a direction opposite to a direction that the heel extends.
7. The vessel filter of claim 1 , wherein the teeth extend along a curved surface of the second curved wall.
8. The vessel filter of claim 1 , wherein the penetrating tip of one vessel engaging hook and one of the teeth of another vessel engaging hook lie along a same longitudinal axis.
9. The vessel filter of claim 8 , wherein the penetrating tip overlies the reduced transverse dimension.
10. A vessel filter comprising a body made from a single tube and having a longitudinal axis, the tube cut to create a plurality of elongated struts forming a filter region and a mounting region, the mounting region including a plurality of vessel engaging hooks extending from the struts, the struts having a reduced transverse dimension transitioning into a first curved wall, each of the hooks having a penetrating tip pointing in a first direction toward the filter region and overlying the reduced transverse dimension, the curved wall transitioning into the penetrating tip, a plurality of teeth for engaging a vessel, the teeth pointing in a second direction opposite the direction of the penetrating tip and the penetrating tip pointing toward a cranial end of the filter, and a heel extending beyond the teeth in the second direction opposite the direction of the penetrating tip, the heel having an upper wall and an opposing lower wall wherein the upper wall is closer to the plurality of teeth then the lower wall is to the plurality of teeth, and the upper wall is curved to form a curved upper wall and extends to a first tooth closest to the heel, the first tooth and a second tooth overlying the upper wall and the lower wall of the heel and the first and second teeth have tips which protrude caudally beyond a cranialmost edge of the curved upper wall.
11. The vessel filter of claim 10 , wherein the heel of the vessel engaging hooks terminates in a curved surface.
12. The vessel filter of claim 11 , wherein the heel of the vessel engaging hooks extends at an angle to a longitudinal axis of the struts in the mounting region.
13. The vessel filter of claim 12 , wherein the vessel engaging hooks comprises a first set of hooks having a first dimension and a second set of hooks having a second dimension.
14. The vessel filter of claim 10 , wherein the teeth extend along a curved surface.
15. A vessel filter comprising a body made from a single tube and having a longitudinal axis, the tube cut to create a plurality of elongated struts forming a filter region and a mounting region, the mounting region including a plurality of vessel engaging hooks extending from the struts, the struts having a reduced transverse dimension, each of the hooks having a penetrating tip pointing in a first direction toward the filter region and overlying the reduced transverse dimension, a plurality of teeth for engaging a vessel, the teeth pointing in a second direction opposite the direction of the penetrating tip and the penetrating tip pointing toward a cranial end of the filter, and a heel extending beyond the teeth in the second direction opposite the direction of the penetrating tip, at least one of the teeth overlying a portion of the heel, wherein the heel of the vessel engaging hooks terminates in a curved surface, and extends at an angle to a longitudinal axis of the struts in the mounting region, and further wherein the vessel engaging hooks include a first set of hooks having a first dimension and a second set of hooks having a second dimension and each hook of the first set of hooks has a smaller dimension and is nested within a respective second hook.
16. A vessel engaging hook comprising a penetrating region and a heel region, the penetrating region having a first curved wall facing a first direction and a second wall opposite the first curved wall facing a second opposite direction, and a third wall joining the first and second walls, the penetrating region having a penetrating tip extending from the first wall and directed in a first direction, the heel region includes a heel directed in a second different direction to limit penetration of the hook, the heel having an upper wall and an opposing lower wall wherein the upper wall is closer to a plurality of teeth than the lower wall is to the plurality of teeth, and the upper wall is curved to form a curved upper wall which extends to a first tooth closest to the heel, and the plurality of teeth positioned on the second wall on the opposing side of the first wall from which the penetrating tip extends, the first tooth and a second tooth overlying the upper wall and the lower wall of the heel and the first and second teeth having tips which protrude caudally beyond a cranialmost edge of the curved upper wall.
17. The vessel engaging hook of claim 16 wherein the hook extends from an elongated strut having a longitudinal axis, and the heel extends at an angle to the longitudinal axis.
18. The vessel engaging hook of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of teeth are positioned distally of the penetrating tip and proximally of the heel.
19. The vessel engaging hook of claim 16 , wherein the penetrating tip and one of the teeth lie along a same longitudinal axis.