A method and system for preventing embolism and optimizing flow to downstream organs in a blood flow circuit incident to performance of a treatment at a location in a blood vessel, by: introducing a first filter element into the blood vessel downstream of the location so that the first filter element obturates the blood vessel; performing the treatment; introducing a second filter element into the blood vessel upstream of the location so that the second filter element obturates the blood vessel; and, after the step of performing a treatment, bringing the first and second filter elements close to one another, radially collapsing the first and second filter elements and withdrawing the first and second filter elements from the blood vessel.