ICA angioplasty with cerebral protection

Abstract

A method of performing an operation including angioplasty of the internal carotid artery includes blocking blood flow in the internal carotid artery, performing the angioplasty while the blood flow is blocked in the internal carotid artery, and reversing flow in the internal carotid artery after the angioplasty has been performed to wash material loosened during the angioplasty out of the internal carotid artery. Normal flow in the internal carotid artery is restored after the loosened material is washed out of the internal carotid artery.

1 . A method of performing an operation including angioplasty of the internal carotid artery comprising the following steps: 
 (a) blocking blood flow in the internal carotid artery;    (b) performing the angioplasty while the blood flow is blocked in the internal carotid artery;    (c) reversing flow in the internal carotid artery after the angioplasty has been performed to wash material loosened during the angioplasty out of the internal carotid artery;    (d) restoring normal flow in the internal carotid artery.    
     
     
         2 . A method of performing an operation including angioplasty of the internal carotid artery comprising the following steps: 
 (a) blocking flow in the common carotid artery, thus causing retrograde blood flow in the internal carotid artery;    (b) blocking flow in the internal carotid artery, distal of the stenosis;    (c) performing angioplasty on the stenosis;    (d) unblocking flow in the internal carotid artery, thus allowing retrograde blood flow in the internal carotid artery into the external carotid artery; and    (e) unblocking flow in the common carotid artery.    
     
     
         3 . Apparatus for performing angioplasty, including: 
 (a) a guide catheter having a first occlusion balloon adjacent a distal end thereof, the first occlusion balloon being sized to stop blood flow in a first artery;    (b) a wire which can be advanced through the guide catheter and which includes a second occlusion balloon adjacent a distal end thereof the second occlusion balloon being sized to stop blood flow in a second artery;    (c) means for selectively inflating and deflating the first balloon;    (d) means for selectively inflating and deflating the second balloon;    (e) an angioplasty balloon catheter which can be advanced through the guide catheter and along the wire to the site of a stenosis in the second artery.