Emboli filtration system having integral strut arrangement and methods of use

Apparatus for filtering emboli from blood flowing through a vessel, the apparatus comprising:

• a guide wire having a distal region;
• a filter element disposed for rotation on the distal region of the guide wire, the filter element comprising a self-expanding strut and a filter sac connected to the self-expanding strut;
• and
• a distal stop disposed on the distal region distal to the filter element, the distal stop limiting distal translation of the filter element on the guide wire.

A method of filtering emboli from blood flowing through a vessel, the method comprising:

• providing a guide wire having a distal region including a distal stop, and a filter element disposed for translation on the guide wire proximal to the distal stop, the filter element comprising a plurality of self-expanding struts having a filter sac affixed thereto;
• transluminally inserting the guide wire and filter element into a vessel;
• deploying the filter element so that the struts and filter sac expand to engage a wall of the vessel, the filter sac filtering emboli out of blood flowing through the vessel;
• advancing a treatment device along the guide wire to treat a portion of the vessel proximal to the location of the filter element, rotation or distal translation of the guide wire relative to the filter element imparted by the treatment device not displacing the filter element.