Patent ID: 7004926
Filing Date: 2006-02-28
Classification: A61B,A61F,A61M

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for automatically retroperfusing a coronary vein with oxygenated blood from an artery, said apparatus comprising: an intraluminal cannula having a primary lumen defined within a main body portion extending between a proximal end portion and a distal end portion; said proximal end portion being configured to connect to an artery outside of the pericardium to automatically supply oxygenated blood from the artery for retroperfusion of the coronary vein; said main body portion and said distal end portion being insertable through a vein that is fluidly connected with the coronary vein to be retroperfused and into the coronary vein; an expandable stent attached to said distal end portion of said cannula for expanding radially into engagement with the interior wall of the coronary vein to secure the distal end portion at a location within the coronary vein; and occluding means for at least partially occluding the coronary vein to decrease the back-flow of blood into the right atrium during retroperfusion, said occluding means being located at said distal end portion of said cannula; said occluding means comprising an umbrella-shaped membrane defined by an open end and a closed end, said closed end being attached to an outer surface of said distal end portion of said cannula, said open end being attached to said stent so that, when said stent is expanded, said membrane spans a radial distance between the interior wall of the coronary vein and said outer surface of said distal end portion of said cannula; said cannula including at least one passage extending parallel to said primary lumen through a section of said main body portion to allow limited blood flow to bypass said membrane.