An embolic protection apparatus having a deflector tube and two expanders each having a plurality of circumferentially spaced, longitudinally oriented fingers. The fingers of each expander have radially constrained ends and radially expandable ends aligned opposite the fingers of the other expander. The deflector tube is disposed within one of the expanders that also has a flexible sleeve covering at least the fingers of the expander. The deflector and the expanders are engageable with each other using compound leverage to transform the apparatus between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration wherein the fingers of the covered expander are radially splayed to dilate the sleeve. Also disclosed are a catheter having the protection apparatus and a method of using the catheter.