Patent ID: 9649487
Date: 2017-05-16
CPC Classifications: A61F,A61N

Claim:
1. Apparatus, comprising: a mechanical support element having a proximal portion and a distal portion, both portions configured to be placed inside a blood vessel of a subject; a first set of electrodes, disposed in series along the proximal portion of the support element, each electrode disposed at a longitudinal distance from an adjacent one of the electrodes that is less than 30 mm; a second set of electrodes, disposed in series along the distal portion of the support element, each electrode in the second set of electrodes disposed at a longitudinal distance, from an adjacent electrode in the second set of electrodes, that is less than 30 mm, a control unit configured to drive current into the blood vessel wall via the first and second sets of electrodes, wherein the blood vessel includes a first blood vessel, from which a second blood vessel bifurcates at a bifurcation, and wherein the mechanical support element is configured to bring the first set of electrodes into contact with the blood vessel wall on a first side of the bifurcation, and to bring the second set of electrodes into contact with the blood vessel wall on a second side of the bifurcation, and wherein the control unit is configured to divert blood from the first blood vessel to the second blood vessel, by driving the current into the blood vessel wall via the first and second sets of electrodes.