Patent ID: 6451004
Filing Date: 2002-09-17
Classification: A61B,A61M

Abstract:
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.