Method for intraluminally inducing cardioplegic arrest and catheter for use therein

• US 6,451,004 B1
• Filed: 07/19/1999
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Edwards Lifesciences LLC (Edwards Lifesciences Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Heartport, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Peters, William S
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, ANH TUAN TUONG
• Application Number:
  US09/358,132
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 604/6.11, 604/6.14, 604/28, 604/36, 604/101.01, 604/101.05, 604/8, 604/508, 604/509, 604/101.02, 604/101.03
• US Class Current: 604/509
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00232 having an irregular shape
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00261 arranged in a line
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0031 characterized by lumina for withdrawing or delivering, i.e. used for extracorporeal circuit treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/028 having a mainly rigid support structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1052 for temporarily occluding a vessel for isolating a sector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/047 cardioplegic
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/127 Aorta
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0023 by the form of the lumen, e.g. cross-section, variable diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0026 Multi-lumen catheters with stationary elements catheter assemblies comprising a catheter in combination with a guide tube, sheath or sleeve A61M2025/0681; catheters comprising telescoping coaxial elements A61M2025/0175
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0032 characterized by at least one unconventionally shaped lumen, e.g. polygons, ellipsoids, wedges or shapes comprising concave and convex parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/104 used for angioplasty
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 29/02 Dilators made of swellable material balloon catheters for angioplasty A61M25/104

Abstract

A process for inducing cardioplegic arrest of a heart in situ in a patient'"'"'s body, comprising maintaining the patient'"'"'s systemic circulation by peripheral cardiopulmonary by-pass, occluding the ascending aorta through a percutaneously placed arterial balloon catheter, venting the left side of the heart, and introducing a cardioplegic agent into the coronary circulation. This procedure readies the heart for a variety of surgical procedures that can be performed percutaneously through lumina in the catheter. An aortic catheter for use in the process is also described.

Claims

1. A method for inducing cardioplegic arrest of a heart in situ in a patient'"'"'s body, comprising the steps of:

(a) maintaining systemic circulation with peripheral cardiopulmonary by-pass that includes a percutaneous catheter introduced into the right atrium and/or into one or both of the vena cavae to draw venous blood into the cardiopulmonary by-pass, in which the percutaneous catheter has two inflatable cuffs, each cuff being adapted to occlude one of the vena cavae and the percutaneous catheter having a lumen or lumanae to draw venous blood from each of the vena cavae into the cardiopulmonary by-pass;

(b) occluding the ascending aorta through a percutaneously placed arterial balloon catheter;

(c) introducing a cardioplegic agent into the coronary circulation; and

(d) venting the left side of the heart.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the ascending aorta is occluded by a balloon catheter percutaneously placed through one of the femoral arteries.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 in which the catheter has a lumen or lumina through which the cardioplegic agent or medical instruments and/or a cardioscope may be introduced into the heart and/or through which the left side of the heart is vented.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which saline is introduced into the right atrium through a lumen in the percutaneous catheter which opens between the two cuffs.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the percutaneous catheter is introduced into the heart through the femoral vein.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the systemic circulation is maintained through a cardiopulmonary by-pass that includes an oxygenated blood return catheter introduced into one of the femoral arteries.