This device, newly approved for the European market, is designed to get rid of nasty emboli that can occur during a variety of stenting procedures: Made of braided nitinol (a “memory metal” that resumes its original shape upon deployment), the Defender embolic protection filter has a low profile and a peel-away delivery sheath that enables physicians to maneuver the device easily across lesions to the desired location. When opened, the filter acts as a basket, allowing...