Patent ID: 6059757
Filing Date: 2000-05-09
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
A catheter device to regulate fluid flow within a circulatory vessel, comprising:an elongated catheter body configured to access one of a circulatory vessel or a heart chamber, wherein the catheter body includes a proximal end, a distal end, and a first lumen including an open proximal end and a distal end with a port formed at a distal portion of the distal end; andan antegrade valve coupled to an exterior of the catheter body and configured to provide a controllable antegrade flow and a controllable retrograde flow in the circulatory vessel along the exterior of the catheter body by selectively actuating the antegrade valve to assume one of a retracted state, a fully expanded state and a partially expanded state, wherein in the retracted state the antegrade valve permits antegrade and retrograde flow in the circulatory vessel along the exterior of the catheter body, and in the fully expanded state the antegrade valve is autoregulating in response to differing pressures within the circulatory vessel, such that, in response to retrograde flow, the antegrade valve moves toward a closed position in which the antegrade valve substantially occludes the circulatory vessel thereby substantially eliminating retrograde flow in the circulatory vessel along the exterior of the catheter body and, in response to antegrade flow the antegrade valve moves toward an open position in which the antegrade valve permits antegrade flow in the circulatory vessel along the exterior of the catheter body, and in the partially expanded state the antegrade valve is autoregulating in response to differing pressures within the circulatory vessel, such that, in response to retrograde flow, the antegrade valve moves toward a closed position in which the antegrade valve partially occludes the circulatory vessel thereby resisting retrograde flow in the circulatory vessel along the exterior of the catheter body and, in response to antegrade flow, the antegrade valve moves toward an open position in which the antegrade valve permits antegrade flow in the circulatory vessel along the exterior of the catheter body, wherein the antegrade flow is greater than the retrograde flow, thereby providing a controllable antegrade flow and a controllable retrograde flow in the circulatory vessel along the exterior of the catheter body.