Intravascular spinal perfusion and cooling for use during aortic surgery

Abstract

Cooled and oxygenated blood is shunted from the proximal aorta into the open ends of intercostal arteries severed during thoracoabdominal aortic surgery to prevent or minimize the effects of spinal ischemia. This cooled perfusion can be accomplished with a variety of perfusion assemblies. For instance, a single vessel perfusion assembly can be employed to shunt the oxygenated blood from the aorta to the lumen of a single intercostal artery. Cooled perfusion can also be performed with a branched multiple vessel perfusion assembly, which includes a branched conduit comprising a common portion and branch portions. In operation, oxygenated blood flows from the aorta into the inflow cannula, through the blood flow conduit, out of the one or more outflow cannula, and into the intercostal arteries.

1 . A vessel perfusion assembly, comprising: 
 a tubular member having a first end adapted to enter a first vessel, a second end, and a lumen therebetween;    a plurality of tubular branches attached to the second end of the tubular member, each tubular branch having a lumen communicating with the lumen of the tubular member and a distal opening adapted to enter a second vessel;    a sealing mechanism disposed about the distal opening of each tubular branch; and    an extracorporeal cooler communicating with the lumen of the tubular member,    wherein, during use, the first end of the tubular member is inserted into the first vessel, the distal end of each tubular branch is inserted into the second vessel and sealed, and blood flows from the first vessel through the lumen of the tubular member.