the present invention is useful for the removal of embolic or foreign material from vasculature . the present invention is intended to be used in various sized vessels and in vessels having varying degrees of tortuosity . of particular significance is the contemplated use of the preferred embodiment in the highly tortuous cerebral vasculature or neurovasculature . moreover , the disclosed capture device is characterized by having an expanded structure that is useful as a filter device , and a contracted structure having a low profile folded condition to facilitate an atraumatic delivery and retraction of the system . referring to fig1 - 2 , a collapsed and folded capture device 10 existing in the art is depicted having pleats 12 which extend radially when the capture device 10 is in a folded position . as seen in fig1 the radially extended , folded pleats may be problematic when the capture device is retracted within a catheter sheath 14 . that is , the pleats may get in the way when retracting the capture device 10 within the sheath 14 . this obstruction may result in the re - release of any captured embolic or foreign material back into the vasculature . the present invention solves this problem by improving the folding technique and reducing the cross - sectional profile of the collapsed capture device . referring to fig3 there is shown an embodiment of the present invention , in an expanded condition , which is adapted to capture embolic or foreign material found within a vessel . in a presently preferred first embodiment , a parachute - like capture device 32 includes an elongate wire 24 having a basket or cage 25 attached to a distal end thereof . the cage includes a plurality of struts or structural members 38 , 40 extending longitudinally from the elongate wire 24 . the elongate wire 24 is configured longitudinally within a delivery catheter 50 . the elongate wire 24 can additionally define a tubular structure having an internal lumen . the distal end 60 of the capture device 32 can be defined by an atraumatic tip extending longitudinally and having a generally helical substructure . alternatively , the tip can be omitted so that the device can be routed over a guidewire . the capture device 32 includes a frame having a plurality of structural members 38 , 40 . the plurality of structural members 38 , 40 embody a plurality of inner structural members 38 and a plurality of outer structural members 40 each being configured to expand the capture device 32 into a parachute - like structure 32 , and to collapse the capture device 32 into a contracted condition ( see fig5 ). configured between or across the struts may be mesh , knitted , or perforated material 66 to thereby define a parachute - like capture assembly . the mesh or knitted portion 66 is connected to the struts 38 , 40 by conventional means , such as by sewing or gluing . the knitted or mesh portion 66 may form a cone - like configuration with its most distal end 68 defining the apex of the cone . it is to be recognized , however , that other basket configurations may also be employed . the parachute - like capture device 32 is characterized by providing structure which may be particularly useful in collecting matter in its hollow interior . the mesh or knitted portion 66 can include micropores which permit blood flow or can be replaced with other materials such as impermeable or permeable elastomers . additionally , the entire basket portion can be made of the same material which is laser cut to a desired configuration . the thinner walled material could be used to span the area between struts . in a preferred embodiment of the present invention , the capture device 32 expands radially with respect to the elongate wire 24 into a generally parachute - like member having a proximal end and a distal end . as the elongate wire is distally advanced with respect to the catheter 50 , the plurality of inner struts 38 and outer struts 40 expand to project the capture device 32 into a parachute - like frame . as shown in fig4 - 7 , in an expanded condition , the inner struts 38 and the outer struts 40 are configured in an alternative pattern where one inner strut 38 is interspersed between two outer struts 40 . as the capture device 32 is collapsed by retracting the elongate wire 24 proximally within a catheter 50 , the outer struts 40 having a slight helix configuration at a proximal region 70 , rotate relative to the inner struts 38 . the rotation of the outer struts 38 operates to fold the capture device 32 , wherein the pleats 72 of the parachute are furled into a contracted condition . the relatively reduced cross - section of the folded capture device 32 allows the capture device to be more easily retracted into the delivery catheter 50 sheath without intrusion from the pleated folds 72 . it is to be recognized that all struts can include a slight helix configuration so that all struts shift radial position when the device is collapsed . in such a design , certain struts ( e . g ., outer struts ) can be configured to shift a greater amount than other struts so that the desired furling of the pleats is accomplished . the elongate wire 24 may include a conventional guidewire or other wire structure having similar properties . one material of choice may be nitinol . the elongate wire outer diameter is such that it can easily slide within a lumen 78 of the catheter 50 . generally , the elongate wire 24 has a length greater than that of the catheter 50 so that its proximal end can be grasped by an operator and so that the elongate wire 24 can be advanced and withdrawn independently of the catheter 50 . the delivery catheter 50 can be any commercially available catheter that is made from any appropriate biologically compatible material . typically , the catheter will have a single lumen 28 as constructed out of a flexible polymer material such as silicone , rubber , polyvinylchloride , polyeurothanes , polyesters , polytetrafluoroethylene and the like . the catheter has to be flexible enough and long enough to navigate through blood vessels to the occluded vessel where clots or other foreign bodies are located . typically , the catheter will range in length from about 20 to about 175 centimeters . the outer diameter of the catheter can also vary . that is , the outer diameter will range from about 2 to about 10 f ( 1 f equals 0 . 013 inch ). the inner diameter will range from about 1 to about 9 f . the struts 38 , 40 can also be made from any biologically compatible material , such as nitinol . although the device is intended to be self - expanding , structure can be provided to accomplish expansion in a device that is not self - expanding . in an embodiment where the elongate wire 24 defines a tubular structure , for example , an elongate member can be configured through the elongate wire ( tube ) 24 and placed into engagement with the distal end 68 of the capture device 32 . relative movement between the elongate member and elongate wire ( tube ) can accomplish the opening and closing of the capture device 50 . in use , the capture device 32 and catheter 50 are inserted into a patient &# 39 ; s vasculature using conventional techniques , fluoroscopy or other conventional means . the elongate capture device 32 and catheter 50 are then advanced within a patient &# 39 ; s vasculature to a location near the clot or foreign body to be extracted . through relative movement between the catheter 50 and capture device 32 , the capture device 32 is deployed beyond the catheter 50 and allowed to assume an expanded configuration . the capture device 32 is then placed or manipulated to gather the unwanted material and is retracted back within the catheter 50 . retraction of the device back within the catheter 50 is made easy due to the folding action accomplished by the interaction between the second set of struts 40 and the catheter 50 . that is , when retracted , the second set of struts 40 engage a lumen defined by the catheter 40 to thereby compress the device into a small profile . it is also contemplated that the present invention can be used as a filter in a blood vessel . in such a situation , the above - described capture device is deployed within a blood vessel and held stationary for a period of time sufficient for the extractor to filter unwanted material from a patient &# 39 ; s bloodstream . thus , a capture system is disclosed which allows for the removal of thromboembolic material and foreign bodies from a blood vessel . while several particular forms and applications of the invention have been illustrated and described , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many more modifications are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . the invention , therefore , is not to be restricted except in the spirit of claims appended hereto .
a capture device for removal of clots and foreign bodies from vasculature or filtering of particulate from blood flow . the parachute - like capture device is connected to an elongate wire located within a longitudinally elongated tubular member . the capture device is radially expandable and is refolded to a reduced profile during contraction .