Patent ID: 7846129

Claim:
A single multichannel catheter useful for delivering extracorporeal blood to a mammalian patient in need thereof wherein the catheter has defined length and available channel volume with distal and proximal ends and comprises: at least three independent channels and a balloon at one end of the catheter, a first largest channel defined by a surrounding wall and of a size to allow delivery of an amount of blood to the patient that is sufficient to support the patient's metabolism and perfusion throughout the delivery of blood to the patient, the first channel including a plurality of openings proximal of the balloon for delivering blood to the patient, the plurality of openings being configured into two groupings, a first grouping including at least one opening and located on a portion of the first channel immediately proximal to the balloon and a second grouping including at least one opening and located on a portion of the first channel proximal to the first grouping of openings and separated from the first grouping of openings by a portion of the first channel without openings, wherein when the balloon is positioned in the patient's ascending aorta, the first grouping of openings is proximate to the patient's left subclavian artery and the second grouping of openings is in the patient's descending aorta, a second channel, smaller than the first channel and integrated into the wall of the first channel, and a third channel also smaller than the first channel and integrated into the wall of the first channel, the third channel is suitable for delivery of a fluid to the balloon for its expansion when positioned in the ascending aorta to occlude the flow of blood to the heart from the first channel.