Multilumen catheter for minimizing limb ischemia

Abstract

A multilumen catheter that maximizes the blood flow into and out of the patient's vasculature while also providing for passive and/or active perfusion of tissue downstream of where the catheter resides in the vasculature. The inventive catheter comprises a proximal end, a first distal and a second distal end. Lumens extending from the proximal end to each of these distal ends provide for blood circulation within one or between two blood vessels. At least one aperture in one of the lumens positioned near the proximal end provides for active perfusion of blood to the patient's vasculature downstream of where the aperture resides in the vasculature when the catheter is inserted into the patient for treatment. The inventive catheter may comprise a third lumen positioned entirely within the patient's vasculature, providing passive perfusion of blood to the patient's vasculature downstream of where the third lumen resides in the vasculature when the catheter is inserted into the patient for treatment.

1 . A method of treating a patient, comprising: 
 inserting a multilumen cannula having a first lumen and a second lumen into the patient at a first blood vessel;    advancing the multilumen cannula within the vasculature until the first lumen is in fluid communication with a first vascular location and the second lumen is in fluid communication with a second vascular location remote from the first vascular location;    providing fluid communication between the first lumen and an inflow portion of a pump and between the second lumen and an outflow portion of the pump;    withdrawing blood through the second lumen from the second vascular location;    delivering blood through the first lumen to the first vascular location; and    redirecting blood flow at a distal end of the first lumen so that blood exiting the lumen is directed into the first vascular location in substantially the same direction of the flow at the first vascular location.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein redirecting further comprises forming said first lumen with a curved at said first distal end such that blood exiting the lumen is directed back along the multilumen catheter.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the multilumen cannula is advanced until the first lumen is in fluid communication with a first blood vessel and the second lumen is in fluid communication with a second vessel blood, a branch blood vessel being located between the first and second blood vessels.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the multilumen cannula is advanced until the second lumen is in fluid communication with a femoral artery.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the multilumen cannula is advanced until the first lumen is in fluid communication with the aorta.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the multilumen cannula is advanced until the first lumen is in fluid communication with the aorta.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the multilumen further comprises at least one aperture extending from at least one of the first lumen and the second lumen, the method further comprising delivering blood through the at least one aperture to lessen the effects of ischemia in the vasculature due to the presence of the multilumen cannula.