Patent ID: 6837864

Claim:
A process for preparing for cardiovascular surgery in a mammal, which process comprises (A) providing a multichannel catheter useful for delivering extracorporeal blood to a mammal in need thereof by insertion into a blood vessel of the mammal, which catheter has a defined length with distal and proximal ends and comprises: a central, first channel defined by a surrounding wall extending substantially the length of the catheter, which channel is closed at its distal end: a second channel (i) extending substantially the length of the catheter parallel to the first channel but independent thereof, (ii) being integrated into the wall of the first channel, and (iii) being open at its distal end: a plurality of openings for the outflow of blood in the wall of the catheter communicating only with said first channel: an inflatable bladder integrated into the distal end of the catheter between the openings for the outflow of blood and the second channel distal opening; a third channel (i) extending substantially the length of said catheter integrated into the wall of the first channel: (ii) being parallel to the first and second channels but independent thereof, and (iii) having a distal opening in fluid communication with the interior of the inflatable bladder, and a solid flexible shaft slidably engageable into the first channel extending substantially the length of the first channel: (B) inserting into a femoral artery of the mammal the distal end of the catheter with the flexible shaft slidingly engaged in the first channel to prevent backflow of blood, (C) positioning the catheter so that the inflatable bladder is located in the ascending aorta, and (D) removing the flexible shaft from the first channel to allow the first channel to be connected to a cardiopulmonary machine to pump blood into the first channel at the proximal end of the first channel.