Fiber based embolism protection device

A medical device comprising:

• a plurality of biocompatible surface capillary fibers in a bundle,
• a wire, and
• a fiber support structure connected to the wire,
• wherein at least one end of the surface capillary fibers is secured to the fiber support,
• wherein the surface capillary fibers have a configuration to fill a lumen surrounding the attached end of the fiber with the lumen having a diameter corresponding to that of a human vessel with the fibers forming a porous filter matrix wherein the configuration of fibers defines a plurality of pores that are sized to allow the passage of a substantial majority of particulates that have a diameter less than 0.01 mm and trap emboli having a size larger than about 50 microns, and
• wherein each of the surface capillary fibers has a surface with at least one channel that extends substantially parallel to the length of the surface capillary fiber, the channel extending along at least a portion of the length of the surface capillary fiber and having a channel width from about 5 microns to about 250 microns.

A medical device comprising:

• a hypotube having a distal end, a proximal end, and a central channel lumen,
• a wire having a distal end and a proximal end,
• a coil, and
• a filter device comprising a bundle of polymer fibers having a first end and a second end,
• wherein the fibers are operably constrained at the first end to the distal end or near the distal end of the hypotube at a first attachment point and operably constrained at the second end to the distal end or near the distal end of the wire at a second attachment point, such that the fiber bundle has a first low profile configuration wherein all of the fibers in the bundle are substantially aligned with each other and a second configuration with the unconstrained portion of the fibers flaring into a non-woven porous filter matrix, wherein the flared fibers define a plurality of pores that are sized to trap emboli with sizes from about 50 microns to about 200 microns,
• wherein the bundle of fibers is a non-self extendable structure,
• wherein the wire extends through the central lumen of the hypotube in a distal direction beyond the first and second attachment points, and
• wherein the coil is located over the distal end of wire distal to the second attachment point.