Filter for use with a medical device

A method for manufacturing a medical device system comprising:

• a. providing a medical device that include an expandable frame;
• said expandable frame is formed by the process of:
• i. providing metal alloy powder;
• said metal alloy power has an average particle size of less than 200 mesh;
• said metal alloy powder is formulated to form a metal alloy of
• A) at least 1 wt. % rhenium and/or hafnium and one or more metal alloying additives selected from the group consisting of calcium, carbon, chromium, cobalt, copper, gold, hafnium, iron, magnesium, nickel, niobium, osmium, platinum, rare earth metals, tantalum, technetium, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, yttrium, zinc, and zirconium;
• and wherein said metal alloy includes 0-2 wt. % of a combination of a) metals other than rhenium and/or hafnium, b) metals other than said one or more said metal alloying additives, c) carbon, d) oxygen, and e) nitrogen;
• or
• B) at least 20 wt. % of primary metal and one or more metal alloying additives, and wherein said primary metal includes one or more metals selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, niobium, tantalum, and tungsten, and wherein said one or more metal alloying additives includes one or more metals selected from the group consisting of calcium, carbon, chromium, cobalt, copper, gold, iron, magnesium, nickel, niobium, osmium, platinum, rare earth metals, silver, tantalum, technetium, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, yttrium, zinc, and zirconium;
• and wherein the metal alloy includes 0-2 wt. % of a combination of a) metals other than said primary metal, b) metals other than said one or more metal alloying additives, c) carbon, d) oxygen, and e) nitrogen;
• ii. consolidating said metal alloy powder into a rod;
• said step of consolidating includes subjecting said metal alloy powder to an isostatic process that applies a uniform pressure of 400-700MPa from all sides on said metal powder;
• said step of consolidating occurring in an inert atmosphere, an oxygen reducing atmosphere of hydrogen or an argon and hydrogen mixture, and/or under a vacuum;
• iii. sintering said rod of consolidated metal alloy powder;
• iv. subjecting said rod to a gun drilling process and/or an EDM cutting process to form a metal alloy tube from said rod;
• and
• V. cutting, etching, grinding, laser cutting, and/or shaving said metal alloy tube to partially or fully form expandable frame;
• and
• b. providing a delivery arrangement;
• said delivery arrangement includes a delivery system and a filter arrangement;
• said delivery system includes a catheter and a guide shaft;
• said catheter and said guide shaft are configured to move independently from one another;
• at least a portion of said catheter is telescopically received in a cavity of said guide shaft;
• said expandable frame is positioned on a portion of said catheter;
• said filter arrangement is connected to a distal region of said catheter such that at least a portion or all of the filter arrangement is located proximal to said medical device when said medical device is releasably positioned on said catheter;
• said filter arrangement is configured to move between a constrained-collapsed position and a deployed position;
• said filter arrangement includes a filter frame and a filter material;
• said filter material is connected to said filter frame;
• said filter frame is connected to said catheter;
• said filter frame is formed or a) a plurality of arms that are spaced from another, or b) a plurality of loops that are spaced from one another;
• said guide shaft is moveable along a longitudinal axis of said catheter and relative to said filter arrangement between a constraining and non-constraining position;
• said filter arrangement is positioned in said constrained-collapsed position when said guide shaft is in said constraining position due to said guide shaft being positioned partially or fully over said filter arrangement;
• said filter arrangement is moveable to said deployed position when said guide shaft is in said non-constraining position due to said guide shaft being positioned partially or fully proximal to said filter arrangement.