Patent ID: 7122019

Claim:
A method of controlling blood flow to a plurality of renal arteries via their respective renal ostia at unique relative locations along an abdominal aorta in a patient, comprising: a) providing a catheter comprising i) an elongated shaft with a proximal end portion and a distal end portion that is adapted to be positioned at a location within the abdominal aorta associated with the renal ostia; ii) a tubular member on the distal end portion having an interior passageway which is radially expandable within the abdominal aorta at the location, and which is configured to extend within the abdominal aorta upstream and downstream of the renal ostia; and iii) a radially expandable member on the tubular member, having an expanded configuration with an outer diameter larger than an outer diameter of the tubular member and which is configured to decrease the blood flow in the outer blood flow stream downstream of the renal ostia; b) advancing the distal end portion to the location within the patient's abdominal aorta, so that an upstream end of the tubular member is upstream of the renal ostia and the radially expandable member is downstream of the renal ostia; c) expanding the tubular member to separate blood flow through the abdominal aorta into an outer blood flow stream exterior to the tubular member and an inner blood flow stream within the interior passageway of the tubular member; and d) expanding the radially expandable member to the expanded configuration to thereby decrease the blood flow in the outer blood flow stream downstream of the renal ostia.