Intravascular guidewire filter system for pulmonary embolism protection and embolism removal or maceration

An intravascular filter system comprising:

• a delivery tube;
• a positioning tube having a proximal positioning tube end and a distal positioning tube end;
• a flexible capture sleeve having mesh coupled with the positioning tube distal end, the flexible capture sleeve includes:
• the flexible capture sleeve movable between an expanded capture sleeve conformation having a conical shaped portion and an unexpanded capture sleeve conformation;
• and
• wherein distal movement of the delivery tube compresses the flexible capture sleeve to the unexpanded capture sleeve conformation, and proximal movement of the delivery tube permits the flexible capture sleeve to radially expand to the expanded capture sleeve conformation;
• an elongated element having a proximal element end and a distal element end, the elongated element includes:
• a flexible preformed memory shaped filter coupled to the elongated element, the flexible preformed memory shaped filter having a proximal conical portion and a distal conical portion;
• wherein the elongated element is configured for advancement from the positioning tube such that the flexible preformed memory shaped filter is positioned distal to a thrombus;
• wherein the flexible preformed memory shaped filter is moveable between an expanded filter conformation and an unexpanded filter conformation;
• and
• wherein the elongated element is moved distally to pull the flexible preformed memory shaped filter in the expanded filter conformation through the thrombus to engage and pull the thrombus into the flexible capture sleeve in the expanded capture sleeve conformation;
• and
• wherein the conical shaped portion of the flexible capture sleeve corresponds to the proximal conical portion of the flexible preformed memory shaped filter to forcibly compress the flexible preformed memory shaped filter to the unexpanded filter configuration as the flexible preformed memory shaped filter is withdrawn proximally into the positioning tube.

A method of removing clot from blood vessel, comprising:

• advancing distally a delivery tube over at least a portion of a positioning tube and a flexible capture sleeve attached to a distal positioning tube end, wherein distally advancing the delivery tube over the flexible capture sleeve maintains the flexible capture sleeve in an unexpanded capture sleeve conformation;
• withdrawing the delivery tube proximally to unsheathe the flexible capture sleeve allowing the flexible capture sleeve to self-expand to an expanded capture sleeve conformation;
• advancing distally an introducer sheath over at least a portion of an elongated element having a flexible preformed memory shaped filter positioned on the elongated element, wherein distally advancing the introducer sheath over the flexible preformed memory shaped filter maintains the flexible preformed memory shaped filter in an unexpanded filter conformation;
• advancing the introducer sheath and the elongated element through the positioning tube with the flexible preformed memory shaped filter in the unexpanded configuration until the flexible preformed memory shaped filter is positioned distal to a thrombus;
• withdrawing the introducer sheath proximally to unsheathe the flexible preformed memory shaped filter allowing the flexible preformed memory shaped filter to expand to an expanded filter conformation;
• and
• retracting the elongated element toward the flexible capture sleeve to engage and pull thrombus toward and into the flexible capture sleeve, wherein the flexible capture sleeve comprises a conical shape corresponding to a proximal conical portion of the flexible preformed memory shaped filter in the expanded filter conformation to forcibly compress the flexible preformed memory shaped filter to the unexpanded filter conformation.

A thrombectomy system comprising:

• a positioning tube extending between a proximal positioning tube end and a distal positioning tube end, the positioning tube includes:
• a flexible capture sleeve coupled with the distal positioning end, the flexible capture sleeve extending between a proximal sleeve end and a distal open sleeve end, the capture sleeve configured to transition between:
• an unexpanded sleeve conformation;
• and
• an expanded sleeve conformation, wherein in the expanded sleeve conformation the flexible capture sleeve tapers from the distal open sleeve end toward the proximal sleeve end;
• and
• a filter device including:
• an elongated element extending from a proximal element end to a distal element end, the elongated element slidably received in the positioning tube;
• and
• a flexible mesh filter having a proximal filter end and a distal filter end both coupled with the distal element end, wherein at least one of the proximal or distal filter ends is statically fixed to the distal element end;
• and
• wherein the flexible mesh filter includes:
• a proximal filter portion having proximal filter openings;
• a distal filter portion having distal filter openings, and the proximal filter openings are larger than the distal filter openings;
• an intermediate filter portion;
• and
• the proximal filter portion tapers from the filter intermediate portion to the proximal filter end, and the distal filter portion tapers from the filter intermediate portion to the distal filter end.