Abstract: An endovascular system for arresting a patient's heart and maintaining the patient on cardiopulmonary bypass. A venous cannula, venting catheter and an aortic occlusion device are all coupled together so that the blood drawn into each of these catheters may be fed to a pump. A manifold has valves which control flows through the venous cannula, venting catheter and aortic occlusion device. A blood storage element is also provided so that the amount of blood in the perfusion circuit may be varied if necessary. The blood storage element is preferably positioned in parallel with the pump so that the pump may be used to add and remove blood to and from the blood storage element.

Abstract: Devices and methods are provided for temporarily inducing cardioplegic arrest in the heart of a patient and for establishing cardiopulmonary bypass in order to facilitate surgical procedures on the heart and its related blood vessels. Specifically, a catheter based system is provided for isolating the heart and coronary blood vessels of a patient from the remainder of the arterial system and for infusing a cardioplegic agent into the patient's coronary arteries to induce cardioplegic arrest in the heart. The system includes an endoaortic partitioning catheter having an expandable balloon at its distal end which is expanded within the ascending aorta to occlude the aortic lumen between the coronary ostia and the brachiocephalic artery. Means for centering the catheter tip within the ascending aorta include specially curved shaft configurations, eccentric or shaped occlusion balloons and a steerable catheter tip, which may be used separately or in combination.

Abstract: A cannula having reinforced sections and nonreinforced sections, the nonreinforced sections having openings communicating with the lumen of the cannula. The nonreinforced sections are plain tubing and the reinforced sections are formed by winding a coated elongate member in a helical manner around a mandrel. The coated elongate member preferably has a square cross-sectional shape so that adjacent portions of the coated elongate member engage one another when the coated elongate member is wound around the mandrel. The coated elongate member is then heated so that the coating on adjacent portions of the coated elongate member fuse together to form an integral structure. Another layer of material may be provided on the radially inner or outer wall of the coated elongate member. The resulting tubular body is reinforced by the elongate member which is encased in the fused coating. The tubular body is cut into sections which are fused to the plain tubing sections to form the cannula.

Abstract: An endovascular system for arresting a patient's heart and maintaining the patient on cardiopulmonary bypass. A venous cannula, venting catheter and an aortic occlusion device are all coupled together so that the blood drawn into each of these catheters may be fed to a pump. A manifold has valves which control flows through the venous cannula, venting catheter and aortic occlusion device. A blood storage element is also provided so that the amount of blood in the perfusion circuit may be varied if necessary. The blood storage element is preferably positioned in parallel with the pump so that the pump may be used to add and remove blood to and from the blood storage element.

Abstract: An endovascular system for arresting a patient's heart and maintaining the patient on cardiopulmonary bypass. A venous cannula, venting catheter and an aortic occlusion device are all coupled together so that the blood drawn into each of these catheters may be fed to a pump. A manifold has valves which control flows through the venous cannula, venting catheter and aortic occlusion device. A blood storage element is also provided so that the amount of blood in the perfusion circuit may be varied if necessary. The blood storage element is preferably positioned in parallel with the pump so that the pump may be used to add and remove blood to and from the blood storage element.

Abstract: An endovascular system for arresting a patient's heart and maintaining the patient on cardiopulmonary bypass. A venous cannula, venting catheter and an aortic occlusion device are all coupled together so that the blood drawn into each of these catheters may be fed to a pump. A manifold has valves which control flows through the venous cannula, venting catheter and aortic occlusion device. A blood storage element is also provided so that the amount of blood in the perfusion circuit may be varied if necessary. The blood storage element is preferably positioned in parallel with the pump so that the pump may be used to add and remove blood to and from the blood storage element.

Abstract: Devices and methods are provided for temporarily inducing cardioplegic arrest in the heart of a patient and for establishing cardiopulmonary bypass in order to facilitate surgical procedures on the heart and its related blood vessels. Specifically, a catheter based system is provided for isolating the heart and coronary blood vessels of a patient from the remainder of the arterial system and for infusing a cardioplegic agent into the patient's coronary arteries to induce cardioplegic arrest in the heart. The system includes an endoaortic partitioning catheter having an expandable balloon at its distal end which is expanded within the ascending aorta to occlude the aortic lumen between the coronary ostia and the brachiocephalic artery. Means for centering the catheter tip within the ascending aorta include specially curved shaft configurations, eccentric or shaped occlusion balloons and a steerable catheter tip, which may be used separately or in combination.

Abstract: Pressure is measured on both sides of an occluding member for determining when pressure forces the occluding member may cause migration of the occluding member. An alarm indicates when the pressure force on the balloon exceed a predetermined threshold. In another aspect of the invention, a pressure monitor determines when a rate of pressure increase with respect to the fluid volume in the balloon reaches a predetermined threshold when inflating the occluding member. A predetermined amount of fluid is then added to the occluding member so that the balloon is not under inflated or over inflated.

Abstract: Pressure is measured on both sides of an occluding member for determining when pressure forces on the occluding member may cause migration of the occluding member. An alarm indicates when the pressure force on the balloon exceed a predetermined threshold. In another aspect of the invention, a pressure monitor determines when a rate of pressure increase with respect to the fluid volume in the balloon reaches a predetermined threshold when inflating the occluding member. A predetermined amount of fluid is then added to the balloon so that the balloon is not under inflated or over inflated.

Abstract: An endovascular system for arresting a patient's heart and maintaining the patient on cardiopulmonary bypass. A venous cannula, venting catheter and an aortic occlusion device are all coupled together so that the blood drawn into each of these catheters may be fed to a pump. A manifold has valves which control flows through the venous cannula, venting catheter and aortic occlusion device. A blood storage element is also provided so that the amount of blood in the perfusion circuit may be varied if necessary. The blood storage element is preferably positioned in parallel with the pump so that the pump may be used to add and remove blood to and from the blood storage element.

Abstract: A method and device for introduction of a catheter and/or delivering a fluid, such as oxygenated blood, to a patient's vascular system includes a cannula having an expandable portion. The expandable portion is movable from a collapsed position to an expanded position. The expandable portion is inserted into the patient in the collapsed position which facilitates introduction and advancement of the cannula through the patient's blood vessel. After introduction into the patient, the expandable portion is moved to the expanded position. The expandable portion protects the blood vessel against fluid forces when flowing a fluid through the cannula and protects the vessel from contact with the catheter advanced through the cannula.

Abstract: Devices and methods are provided for temporarily inducing cardioplegic arrest in the heart of a patient and for establishing cardiopulmonary bypass in order to facilitate surgical procedures on the heart and its related blood vessels. Specifically, a catheter based system is provided for isolating the heart and coronary blood vessels of a patient from the remainder of the arterial system and for infusing a cardioplegic agent into the patient's coronary arteries to induce cardioplegic arrest in the heart. The system includes an endoaortic partitioning catheter having an expandable balloon at its distal end which is expanded within the ascending aorta to occlude the aortic lumen between the coronary ostia and the brachiocephalic artery. Means for centering the catheter tip within the ascending aorta include specially curved shaft configurations, eccentric or shaped occlusion balloons and a steerable catheter tip, which may be used separately or in combination.

Abstract: Pressure is measured on both sides of an occluding member for determining when pressure forces on the occluding member may cause migration of the occluding member. An alarm indicates when the pressure force on the balloon exceed a predetermined threshold. In another aspect of the invention, a pressure monitor determines when a rate of pressure increase with respect to the fluid volume in the balloon reaches a predetermined threshold when inflating the occluding member. A predetermined amount of fluid is then added to the balloon so that the balloon is not under inflated or over inflated.