Rapid exchange catheters and embolic protection devices

A distal tip of a host wire of an embolic protection device comprising:

• a wire comprising a first constant diameter region having a first diameter, a second constant diameter region having a second diameter, and a third constant diameter region having a third diameter, the second constant diameter region having a smaller diameter than the first constant diameter region, and the third constant diameter region having a smaller diameter than the second constant diameter region;
• a first tapering transition region between the first constant diameter region and the second constant diameter region;
• and
• a second tapering transition region between the second constant diameter region and the third constant diameter region.

A medical device for maintaining an embolic protection device in a blood vessel in a patient's body comprising:

• an elongate support member;
• an elongate side branch member connected to the elongate support member;
• and
• an embolic protection device attached to the elongate side branch member by a proximal embolic protection device slider,
• the elongate side branch member being adapted to maintain the embolic protection device centered in the vessel.

A medical device for filtering emboli from blood flowing in a blood vessel of patient comprising:

• an elongate support member;
• an elongate side branch member connected to the elongate support member;
• and
• 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, wherein the filter element comprises a material having pores, wherein the filter element has proximal and distal portions, the filter element having a shape in the expanded configuration which defines an interior cavity having a proximal facing opening,
• the filter element being attached to the elongate side branch member by a proximal filter element slider,
• the elongate side branch member being adapted to maintain the filter element centered in the vessel.