Multichannel catheter

Abstract

An extracorporeal circulation catheter has three independent channels and an expandable balloon at one end of the catheter. The first channel allows for delivery of blood to a patient in an amount sufficient to maintain the patient's metabolism and perfusion throughout the treatment or surgery. The second channel is integrated into the wall of the first channel and is suitable for delivering a fluid (e.g., for cardioplegia) to the heart. A third channel is integrated into the wall of the first channel and is suitable for delivering a fluid to the balloon for its expansion when positioned in the ascending aorta to occlude the flow of blood to the heart. The first channel accounts for at least about 70% of the total channel volume.

1 . A single multichannel catheter useful for extracorporeal circulation of blood to a patient undergoing cardiovascular surgery wherein the catheter comprises:
 at least three independent channels and an expandable balloon at one end of the catheter,   a first largest channel of a size to allow delivery of an amount of blood to the patient that is sufficient to support the patient metabolism and perfusion throughout the surgery, a plurality of openings through a wall of said first channel, wherein an area of said plurality of openings exceeds a cross-sectional area of said first channel,   a second channel, smaller than the first channel and integrated into the wall of the first channel, said second channel suitable for (a) delivering cardioplegia solution to the heart and (b) venting the left heart,   and a third channel also smaller than the first channel and integrated into the wall of the first channel said third channel suitable for delivery of a fluid to the balloon for its expansion when positioned in the ascending aorta to occlude the flow of blood.   
     
     
         2 . The catheter of  claim 1  of a length sufficient to be inserted throughout a femoral artery and positioned so that the balloon is positioned in the ascending aorta. 
     
     
         3 . The catheter of  claim 1  wherein the blood is delivered to the patient through said plurality of openings, said openings being upstream of the balloon and wherein cardioplegia solution is delivered and the left heart is vented through an opening in the second channel that is downstream of the balloon. 
     
     
         4 . In a method for performing cardiovascular surgery on a patient using a cardiopulmonary machine for extracorporeal circulation of blood, the improvement that comprises using a single, multichannel catheter for the extracorporeal circulation wherein the multichannel catheter comprises:
 at least three independent channels and an expandable balloon at the distal end of the catheter,   a first largest channel of a size to allow delivery of an amount of blood to the patient that is sufficient to support the patient metabolism and perfusion throughout the surgery, a plurality of openings through a wall of said first channel, wherein an area of said plurality of openings exceeds a cross-sectional area of said first channel,   a second channel, smaller than the first channel and integrated into the wall of the first channel, said second channel suitable for (a) delivering cardioplegia solution to the heart and (b) venting the left heart,   and a third channel also smaller than the first channel and integrated into the wall of the first channel, said third channel suitable for delivery of a fluid to the balloon for its expansion when positioned in the ascending aorta to occlude the flow of blood.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the blood is delivered to the patient through said plurality of openings, said plurality of openings being upstream of the balloon and wherein cardioplegia solution is delivered through the second channel out an opening that is downstream of the balloon. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the surgery is open-chest surgery and the catheter is inserted through the patient's aorta or one of the great arteries and positioned so that the balloon in located in the ascending aorta to occlude the flow of blood to the heart. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the surgery is minimally invasive surgery and the catheter is inserted into the patient through the patient's femoral artery and positioned so that the balloon in located in the ascending aorta to occlude the flow of blood to the heart. 
     
     
         8 . A method of delivering a biologically active agent to a subject in need thereof, which method comprises administering the agent using a single, multichannel catheter for the extracorporeal circulation wherein the multichannel catheter comprises:
 at least three independent channels and an expandable balloon at the distal end of the catheter,   a first largest channel of a size to allow delivery of an amount of blood to the patient that is sufficient to support the patient metabolism and perfusion throughout the surgery, a plurality of openings through a wall of said first channel, wherein an area of said plurality of openings exceeds a cross-sectional area of said first channel,   a second channel, smaller than the first channel and integrated into the wall of the first channel, said second channel suitable for (a) delivering cardioplegia solution to the heart and (b) venting the left heart,   and a third channel also smaller than the first channel and integrated into the wall of the first channel, said third channel suitable for delivery of a fluid to the balloon for its expansion when positioned in the ascending aorta to occlude the flow of blood.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the agent is a cardioplegia solution delivered through the second channel to the heart of a patient in need thereof.