Patent ID: 8211138

Claim:
A surgical method involving the arterial system of a patient, the arterial system including the aortic arch, the descending aorta and the iliac bifurcation, the method comprising: i) providing a catheter device comprising an elongate catheter shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion, and a plurality expandable members disposed on the distal portion of said catheter shaft, wherein a distal-most expandable member and a proximal-most expandable member are spaced apart along said distal portion at a distance more than 20 cm and less than 40 cm; ii) introducing the catheter shaft into the arterial system such that catheter shaft passes through the aortic arch and descends down the descending aorta of the patient; iii) positioning the distal-most expandable member at the iliac bifurcation of the patient in an expanded state, wherein the distal-most expandable member is dimensioned and configured so that it blocks blood flow through the iliac bifurcation in the expanded state as well secures the catheter device and minimizes movement of the catheter device within the descending aorta of the patient; and iv) expanding at least one expandable member other than the distal-most expandable member to selectively occlude blood flow to at least one artery extending from the descending aorta of the patient.