Patent ID: 6423031
Filing Date: 2002-07-23
Classification: A61B,A61M

Abstract:
A method of occluding a patient's ascending aorta and returning oxygenated blood to the patient, comprising the steps of:providing an aortic occlusion catheter having a shaft, an occluding member mounted to the shaft, a blood flow lumen, a first opening positioned proximal of the occluding member, and a second opening positioned distal to the occluding member, an area of the distal opening being greater than an area of the proximal opening, the first and second openings being fluidly coupled to the blood flow lumen; positioning the aortic occlusion catheter in at least a portion of a patient's brachiocephalic artery; expanding the occluding member to an expanded condition so that the patient's ascending aorta is thereby occluded; coupling the blood flow lumen to a source of oxygenated blood; and infusing oxygenated blood from the soured of oxygenated blood into the patient through the blood flow lumen and first and second openings, wherein blood flow through the distal opening and distal to the occluding member is greater than blood flow through the proximal opening and proximal to the occluding member.