Inflatable perfusion catheter

Claim 2

A perfusion catheter for insertion into a body conduit, said catheter comprising: a shaft having at least one lumen for delivery of a fluid inflation media; an array formed of a plurality of radially disposed inflatable balloons having proximal ends, the balloons of said array being inflatable to form a generally cylindrically shape having inner and outer sides, said outer sides being arranged to engage a body conduit; means to inflate each of said balloons, said means including a plurality of channels, each channel being in fluid flow relationship with the proximal end of one of said balloons and said lumen; at least one opening between two adjacent channels to allow the flow of body fluids from the proximal ends, within said array and out the catheter.

Claim 3

The perfusion catheter according to claim 1 wherein said channels extend into the distal ends of each of the balloons and the channels are separated from each other by webs whereby to form a proximal intermediate member and said opening is in at least one of said webs.

Claim 4

The catheter according to claim 2 wherein the channels and the webs together form a proximal intermediate member.

Claim 5

The catheter according to claim 3 further including a distal intermediate member attached to said array, said distal intermediate member also having at least one opening in it.

Claim 6

The catheter according to claim 4 wherein said shaft extends through both said proximal and distal intermediate members.

Claim 7

The catheter according to claim 5 wherein said proximal intermediate member is joined to said shaft by a hub, said hub forming a manifold with a lumen in said shaft whereby fluid flow communication between said channels and said lumen is provided.

Claim 8

A perfusion catheter for insertion into a body conduit, said catheter comprising: a shaft having at least one lumen for delivery of a fluid inflation media; a cylindrical array of a plurality of radially disposed inflatable balloons having proximal and distal ends arranged around said shaft, each balloon sharing a common wall with an adjacent balloon, outer sides of said cylindrical array being arranged to engage said body conduit; means to inflate each of said balloons, said means including a plurality of channels in fluid flow relationship with the proximal ends of said balloons, one end of each of said channels being connected to a common manifold in fluid flow with said lumen and the other end of each being connected to one of said balloons; at least one opening between two adjacent channels to allow the flow of body fluids through, within and to the other side of said cylindrical array.

Claim 9

A perfusion catheter for insertion into a body conduit, said catheter comprising: a shaft having at least one lumen for delivery of a fluid inflation media; a cylindrical array of a plurality of radially disposed inflatable balloons having proximal and distal ends arranged around said shaft, each balloon sharing a common wall with an adjacent balloon, outer sides of said cylindrical array being arranged to engage said body conduit; means to inflate each of said balloons, said means including a plurality of channels in fluid flow relationship with the proximal ends of said balloons, one end of each of said channels being connected to a common manifold in fluid flow with said lumen and the other end of each being connected to one of said balloons; at least one opening between two adjacent channels to allow the flow of body fluids through, within and to the other side of said cylindrical array.

Claim 10

A perfusion catheter for insertion into a body conduit, said catheter comprising: a shaft having at least one lumen for delivery of a fluid inflation media; a cylindrical array of a plurality of radially disposed inflatable balloons having proximal and distal ends arranged around said shaft, each balloon sharing a common wall with an adjacent balloon, outer sides of said cylindrical array being adapted to engage said body conduit; means to inflate each of said balloons, said means including a plurality of channels in fluid flow relation with the proximal ends of said balloons, said channels being separated from each other by a web, said webs being disposed between adjacent channels; an opening in at least one of said webs between two adjacent channels to allow the flow of body fluids through and within and to the other side of said cylindrical array.

Claim 11

A perfusion catheter for insertion into a body conduit, said catheter comprising: a shaft having at least one lumen for delivery of a fluid inflation media; a cylindrical array of a plurality of radially disposed inflatable balloons having proximal and distal ends arranged around said shaft, each balloon sharing a common wall with an adjacent balloon, outer sides of said cylindrical array being adapted to engage said body conduit; means to inflate each of said balloons, said means including a plurality of channels in fluid flow relation with the proximal ends of said balloons, said channels being separated from each other by a web, said webs being disposed between adjacent channels; an opening in at least one of said webs between two adjacent channels to allow the flow of body fluids through and within and to the other side of said cylindrical array.

Claim 12

The catheter according to claim 8 wherein the channels and the webs together form a proximal intermediate member.

Claim 13

The catheter according to claim 9 further including a distal intermediate member attached to said array, said distal intermediate member also having at least one opening in it.

Claim 14

The catheter according to claim 10 wherein said shaft extends through both said proximal and distal intermediate members.

Claim 15

The catheter according to claim 11 wherein said proximal intermediate member is joined to said shaft by a hub, said hub forming a manifold with a lumen in said shaft whereby fluid flow communication between said channels and said lumen is provided.

Claim 16

A catheter which allows the passage of blood through a body conduit while an array attached thereto is inflated, said catheter comprising: a shaft having an internal lumen for the introduction of an inflation fluid; a radially expandable, inflatable cylindrical array of balloons disposed around said shaft, said array having an interior face and a body conduit engaging face; means for connecting said array to said shaft for enabling the introduction of inflation media to the balloons of said array; and means for allowing the flow of body fluids between said shaft and said interior face whereby the flow of body fluids through said conduit will not be prevented when said array is inflated.

Claim 17

A catheter which allows the passage of blood through a body conduit while an array attached thereto is inflated, said catheter comprising: a shaft having an internal lumen for the introduction of an inflation fluid; a radially expandable, inflatable cylindrical array of balloons disposed around said shaft, said array having an interior face and a body conduit engaging face; means for connecting said array to said shaft for enabling the introduction of inflation media to the balloons of said array; and means for allowing the flow of body fluids between said shaft and said interior face whereby the flow of body fluids through said conduit will not be prevented when said array is inflated.

Claim 18

The catheter according to claim 13 wherein the means for connecting the shaft to the balloons to the shaft are a plurality of channels spaced from each other by webs.

Claim 19

The catheter according to claim 14 wherein the means for allowing the flow of body fluids is at least one opening in a web between adjacent channels.

Claim 20

A perfusion catheter for insertion into a body conduit, said catheter comprising: a shaft having at least one lumen for delivery of a fluid inflation media; a cylindrical shell of a plurality of radially disposed inflatable balloons having proximal and distal ends and an inner and outer side arranged around said shaft, the outer sides of said cylindrical shell being arranged to engage said body conduit; means to inflate each of said balloons, said means including a plurality of channels in fluid flow relationship with the proximal ends of said balloons, said channels being separated from each other by a web, said web being disposed between adjacent channels; a opening in at least one of said webs between adjacent channels to allow the flow of body fluids through and within and to the other side of said cylindrical array.

Claim 21

A perfusion catheter for insertion into a body conduit, said catheter comprising: a shaft having at least one lumen for delivery of a fluid inflation media; a cylindrical shell of a plurality of radially disposed inflatable balloons having proximal and distal ends and an inner and outer side arranged around said shaft, the outer sides of said cylindrical shell being arranged to engage said body conduit; means to inflate each of said balloons, said means including a plurality of channels in fluid flow relationship with the proximal ends of said balloons, said channels being separated from each other by a web, said web being disposed between adjacent channels; a opening in at least one of said webs between adjacent channels to allow the flow of body fluids through and within and to the other side of said cylindrical array.

Claim 22

A perfusion catheter for insertion into a body conduit, said catheter comprising: a shaft having at least one lumen for delivery of a fluid inflation media; a cylindrical array of a plurality of radially disposed inflatable balloons having proximal and distal ends arranged around said shaft, each balloon sharing a common wall with an adjacent balloon, outer sides of said cylindrical array being adapted to engage said body conduit; means to inflate each of said balloons, said means including a plurality of channels in fluid flow relationship with the proximal ends of said balloons, one end of each of said channels being connected to a common manifold and the other end of each being connected to the distal end of one of said balloons; at least one opening between two adjacent channels to allow the flow of body fluids through and within and to the other side of said cylindrical array.

Claim 23

A perfusion catheter for insertion into a body conduit, said catheter comprising: a shaft having at least one lumen for delivery of a fluid inflation media; a cylindrical array of a plurality of radially disposed inflatable balloons having proximal and distal ends arranged around said shaft, each balloon sharing a common wall with an adjacent balloon, outer sides of said cylindrical array being adapted to engage said body conduit; means to inflate each of said balloons, said means including a plurality of channels in fluid flow relationship with the proximal ends of said balloons, one end of each of said channels being connected to a common manifold and the other end of each being connected to the distal end of one of said balloons; at least one opening between two adjacent channels to allow the flow of body fluids through and within and to the other side of said cylindrical array.

Claim 24

The perfusion catheter according to claim 17 wherein said channels are separated from each other by webs whereby to form a proximal intermediate member and said opening is in at least one of said webs.

Claim 25

The catheter according to claim 18 wherein the channels and the webs together form a proximal intermediate member.

Claim 26

The catheter according to claim 19 further including a distal intermediate member attached to said array, said distal intermediate member also having at least one opening in it.

Claim 27

The catheter according to claim 20 wherein said shaft extends through both said proximal and distal intermediate members.

Claim 28

The catheter according to claim 21 wherein said proximal intermediate member is joined to said shaft by a hub, said hub forming a manifold with a lumen in said shaft whereby fluid flow communication between said channels and said lumen is provided.