Patent ID: 6315768
Filing Date: 2001-11-13
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
A method for maintaining a blood supply past a stenotic site after failure of a procedure wherein an angioplasty catheter is introduced into a blood vessel of a patient through a guide catheter contained in the vessel and on a guide wire extended through the stenotic site, and wherein a vessel occlusion along the guide wire occurs following retraction of the angioplasty catheter from the site, said method comprising the following steps:(a) completely removing the angioplasty catheter from the vessel;(b) introducing a perfusion catheter into the vessel of the patient through said guide catheter and extending a distal end of the perfusion catheter past the vessel occlusion using the guide wire, wherein the guide catheter has an extraction port connecting through a proximal segment and into the interior of said perfusion catheter;(c) providing means for extracting the patient's blood from said extraction port; and(d) injecting blood into an exterior end of the perfusion catheter such as to maintain a perfusion rate sufficient to prevent ischemia.