Cerebral embolic protection assembly and method of use

Abstract

The present invention is related to cerebral embolic protection assemblies (CEPA) to be used during a medical procedure to help redirect or catch emboli before it is pumped into the cerebral circulation. A variety of CEPA's are disclosed including a perfusion filter catheters and fluid flow dividers for capturing and redirecting potential emboli within the aorta during heart surgery and cardiopulmonary bypass. The catheter devices may further include one or more additional or auxiliary flow control members. Furthermore, oxygenated blood is perfused through a perfusion lumen in the catheter. The present invention describes devices that are capable of capturing and/or redirected emboli away from the cerebral circulation. The devices are configured for percutaneous, intercostal, lateral or central insertion with attendant administration of cardiopulmonary bypass and cardioplegic arrest with protection from undesirable embolic events.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An aortic catheter comprising: 
 an elongated shaft;    a cerebral embolic protection assembly mounted to said elongate shaft and positioned on said elongated shaft such that, when the aortic catheter is in an operative position, said cerebral protection assembly is positioned within a lumen of an aortic arch of a patient, said cerebral embolic protection assembly having a deployed position wherein said cerebral embolic protection assembly is configured to partition the lumen of the aortic arch longitudinally into a first fluid flow channel in fluid communication with the aortic arch vessels and a second fluid flow channel in fluid communication with the patient's corporeal circulation and wherein said cerebral embolic protection assembly is configured to allow blood flow to enter the cerebral circulation while excluding emboli from the cerebral circulation.    
     
     
         2 . The aortic catheter of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said cerebral embolic protection assembly is porous.  
     
     
         3 . The aortic catheter of  claim 2 , wherein the porous portion of said cerebral embolic protection assembly is constructed of filter mesh that is permeable to blood and impermeable to emboli.  
     
     
         4 . The aortic catheter of  claim 2 , wherein the porous portion of said cerebral embolic protection assembly is configured to allow blood flow to enter the first fluid flow channel from the second fluid flow channel, while excluding emboli from entering the first fluid flow channel from the second fluid flow channel.  
     
     
         5 . The aortic catheter of  claim 2 , wherein the porous portion of said cerebral embolic protection assembly is configured to exclude macroemboli from the cerebral circulation.  
     
     
         6 . The aortic catheter of  claim 2 , wherein the porous portion of said cerebral embolic protection assembly is configured to exclude macroemboli and microemboli from the cerebral circulation.  
     
     
         7 . The aortic catheter of  claim 2 , wherein the porous portion of said cerebral embolic protection assembly is configured to divert micro emboli downstream to the patient's corporeal circulation and to capture macroemboli.  
     
     
         8 . The aortic catheter of  claim 1 , wherein said cerebral embolic protection assembly is configured to exclude macroemboli from the cerebral circulation.  
     
     
         9 . The aortic catheter of  claim 1 , wherein said cerebral embolic protection assembly is configured to exclude macroemboli and microemboli from the cerebral circulation.  
     
     
         10 . The aortic catheter of  claim 1 , wherein said cerebral embolic protection assembly is configured to divert emboli downstream to the patient's corporeal circulation.  
     
     
         11 . The aortic catheter of  claim 1 , wherein said cerebral embolic protection assembly is configured to divert microemboli downstream to the patient's corporeal circulation and to capture macroemboli.  
     
     
         12 . The aortic catheter of  claim 1 , wherein said cerebral embolic protection assembly is passively deployable from a compressed condition wherein said cerebral embolic protection assembly is folded or compressed toward said elongate shaft and an expanded condition wherein said cerebral embolic protection assembly extends from said elongate shaft.  
     
     
         13 . The aortic catheter of  claim 1 , wherein said cerebral embolic protection assembly is actively deployable from a compressed condition wherein said cerebral embolic protection assembly is folded or compressed toward said elongate shaft and an expanded condition wherein said cerebral embolic protection assembly extends from said elongate shaft.  
     
     
         14 . The aortic catheter of  claim 1 , wherein said cerebral embolic protection assembly comprises an upper portion comprised of impermeable material and a lower portion comprised of impermeable material.  
     
     
         15 . The aortic catheter of  claim 1 , wherein said cerebral embolic protection assembly comprises an upper portion comprised of porous material and a lower portion comprised of porous material.  
     
     
         16 . The aortic catheter of  claim 1 , wherein said cerebral embolic protection assembly comprises an upper porous portion impermeable to macroemboli and microemboli and a lower porous portion impermeable to macroemboli.  
     
     
         17 . The aortic catheter of  claim 1 , further comprising a fluid lumen extending at least in part along the length of said elongated shaft and having a fluid port configured to provide fluid to the cerebral circulation.  
     
     
         18 . The aortic catheter of  claim 1 , further comprising an auxiliary flow control member.  
     
     
         19 . The aortic catheter of  claim 18 , wherein said auxiliary flow control member is in the form of an inflatable balloon.  
     
     
         20 . The aortic catheter of  claim 18 , wherein said auxiliary flow control member comprises a peripheral flow control valve.  
     
     
         21 . The aortic catheter of  claim 1 , wherein said elongated shaft is sized and configured to be inserted into a peripheral vein and navigated proximate the aortic arch.  
     
     
         22 . The aortic catheter of  claim 1 , wherein said elongated shaft is sized and configured to be inserted directly into the aorta.  
     
     
         23 . The aortic catheter of  claim 1 , wherein said elongated shaft is sized and configured to be inserted through an intercostal space.  
     
     
         24 . A cerebral embolic protection assembly comprising: 
 a body having an upper surface and a lower surface, said body being configured to be inserted in an operative position within a lumen of an aortic arch of a patient with said upper surface facing toward the aortic arch vessels and said lower surface facing away from the aortic arch vessels, said body having a deployed position wherein said body is configured to partition the lumen of the aortic arch longitudinally into a first fluid flow channel in fluid communication with the aortic arch vessels and a second fluid flow channel in fluid communication with the patient's corporeal circulation and wherein said body is configured to allow blood flow to enter the cerebral circulation while excluding emboli from the cerebral circulation.    
     
     
         25 . The cerebral embolic protection assembly of  claim 24 , wherein at least a portion of said body is porous.  
     
     
         26 . The cerebral embolic protection assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the porous portion of said body is constructed of filter mesh that is permeable to blood and impermeable to emboli.  
     
     
         27 . The cerebral embolic protection assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the porous portion of said body is configured to exclude macroemboli from the cerebral circulation.  
     
     
         28 . The cerebral embolic protection assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the porous portion of said body is configured to exclude macroemboli and microemboli from the cerebral circulation.  
     
     
         29 . The cerebral embolic protection assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the porous portion of said body is configured to divert emboli downstream to the patient's corporeal circulation.  
     
     
         30 . The cerebral embolic protection assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the porous portion of said body is configured to divert microemboli downstream to the patient's corporeal circulation and to capture macroemboli.  
     
     
         31 . The cerebral embolic protection assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the porous portion of said body is configured to allow blood flow to enter the first fluid flow channel from the second fluid flow channel, while excluding emboli from entering the first fluid flow channel from the second fluid flow channel.  
     
     
         32 . The cerebral embolic protection assembly of  claim 24 , wherein said body is configured to exclude macroemboli from the cerebral circulation.  
     
     
         33 . The cerebral embolic protection assembly of  claim 24 , wherein said body is configured to exclude macroemboli and microemboli from the cerebral circulation.  
     
     
         34 . The cerebral embolic protection assembly of  claim 24 , wherein said body is configured to divert emboli downstream to the patient's corporeal circulation.  
     
     
         35 . The cerebral embolic protection assembly of  claim 24 , wherein said body is configured to divert microemboli downstream to the patient's corporeal circulation and to capture macroemboli.  
     
     
         36 . The cerebral embolic protection assembly of  claim 24 , wherein said body is foldable or compressible into compressed condition for insertion into the patient's aorta.  
     
     
         37 . A method of cerebral embolic protection comprising: 
 inserting a cerebral embolic protection assembly into an operative position within a lumen of an aortic arch of a patient with an upper surface of the cerebral embolic protection assembly facing toward the aortic arch vessels and a lower surface of the cerebral embolic protection assembly facing away from the aortic arch vessels; and    deploying the cerebral embolic protection assembly to partition the lumen of the aortic arch longitudinally into a first fluid flow channel in fluid communication with the aortic arch vessels and a second fluid flow channel in fluid communication with the patient's corporeal circulation, wherein the cerebral embolic protection assembly allows blood flow to enter the cerebral circulation while excluding emboli from the cerebral circulation.    
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the cerebral embolic protection assembly diverts emboli downstream to the patient's corporeal circulation.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the cerebral embolic protection assembly comprises a filter material permeable to blood and impermeable to emboli.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the filter material of the cerebral embolic protection assembly diverts emboli downstream to the patient's corporeal circulation.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the filter material of the cerebral embolic protection assembly excludes macro emboli from the patient's cerebral circulation.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the filter material of the cerebral embolic protection assembly excludes macroemboli and microemboli from the patient's cerebral circulation.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the filter material of the cerebral embolic protection assembly diverts microemboli downstream to the patient's corporeal circulation and captures macroemboli within the filter material.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising: 
 perfusing the patient's cerebral circulation through a lumen within the cerebral embolic protection assembly.    
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the cerebral embolic protection assembly is inserted into the patient's aorta through a peripheral arterial access point.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the cerebral embolic protection assembly is inserted directly into the patient's aorta through an incision in the aortic wall.