Patent ID: 8162813

Claim:
A method for intermittent occlusion of a coronary sinus, comprising the steps of: occluding a coronary sinus using an occlusion device coupled to a distal end portion of a multi-lumen catheter and being in communication with a first lumen of the multi-lumen catheter, the occlusion device being adjustable between a non-occluding state and an occluding state that is configured to substantially occlude the coronary sinus, measuring and storing fluid pressure in the occluded coronary sinus, determining a behavior of the fluid pressure as a function of time, and releasing the occlusion of the coronary sinus as a function of at least one characteristic value derived from pressure measurements, wherein the occlusion of the coronary sinus is released by adjusting the occlusion device from the occluded state to the non-occluding state, wherein pulsating pressure is applied to a device coupled to the multi-lumen catheter and positioned in the corona sinus at least partially distal of the occlusion device only during the occlusion of the coronary sinus when the occlusion device is in the occluding state.