Patent ID: 7998104

Claim:
An apparatus for use in carotid angioplasty comprising: first and second occlusive members that reverse the natural direction of blood flow in an internal carotid artery when said first occlusive member occludes a common carotid artery and said second occlusive member occludes an external carotid artery, wherein said first occlusive member abuts a wall of the common carotid artery to prevent blood flow through the common carotid artery across the first occlusive member and wherein said second occlusive member abuts a wall of the external carotid artery to prevent blood flow through the external carotid artery across the second occlusive member; a catheter comprising a distal end and a proximal end, a blood entry port, and a first shaft portion extending proximally from said first occlusive member, said first shaft portion having a cross-section sized to be insertable into the common carotid artery and a length of between about 2 centimeters and about 25 centimeters so as to be suitable for transcervical access to the common carotid artery; a fluid conduit in fluid communication with the blood entry port of the catheter to permit blood to flow through the catheter into the fluid conduit; a flow sensor connected directly to the fluid conduit wherein the flow sensor senses blood flow through the fluid conduit; a collection reservoir comprised of a receptacle defining an enclosed chamber that collects blood and that is connected to said catheter and placed in fluid communication with said blood entry port via the fluid conduit, wherein fluid communication comprises communication via a fluid flow path from said blood entry port to said collection reservoir without the assistance of fluid pressure sources other than arterial blood pressure; a metering valve coupled to the fluid conduit, wherein the metering valve adjusts the flow rate through the fluid conduit; and wherein said first occlusive member is located on said catheter.