Vessel flow control devices and methods

Abstract

Systems and methods for treating an afflicted vessel and/or vessel associated with an afflicted tissue of a mammalian patient are presented herein. In particular, devices for the control of flow rate and/or pressure within a vessel of a mammalian patient, and methods of treating an afflicted vessel and/or a vessel associated with an afflicted tissue using the devices are presented herein.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vessel flow control device for controlling at least one of a flow rate or a pressure within a lumen of a vessel of a mammalian patient during a treatment of an afflicted region of the vessel, the lumen including a cross-sectional area, the device comprising:
 a variable occlusion element configured for placement within the lumen and to assume a plurality of occlusion states within the lumen, each occlusion state including an occlusion factor ranging from about five percent to about one hundred percent, wherein the occlusion factor is a percentage of the lumen cross-sectional area occluded by a cross-sectional area of the variable occlusion element and an occlusion factor of one hundred percent corresponds to a complete blockage of flow through the vessel;   a mechanism configured to cause the variable occlusion element to selectively transition between the plurality of occlusion states; and   a control sequence for the mechanism selectively transitioning the variable occlusion element between the plurality of occlusion states, the control sequence comprising obtaining a measurement of vascular leakage from the afflicted region, and causing the mechanism to selectively transition the variable occlusion element such that a subsequent occlusion state has: a lower occlusion factor than a current occlusion state if the measurement indicates no vascular leakage; and a higher occlusion factor than the current occlusion state if the measurement indicates vascular leakage.