Multi-lumen cannulae

Abstract

The present disclosure concerns embodiments of multi-lumen cannulae that can be used in various different medical procedures. The multi-lumen cannulae can comprise an elongated body comprising multiple different ports that connect to the various different sidewall lumens contained within the elongated body. The multi-lumen cannulae can also comprise a central lumen that extends through the entire elongated body and can be fluidly connected to the various different sidewall lumens. The multi-lumen cannulae can further comprise two balloons on the exterior of the elongated body, which can be used to isolate the right atrium of a patient's heart.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A multi-lumen cannula, comprising:
 an elongated body having a distal end portion for placement in a biological lumen of a patient and a proximal end portion for placement outside the patient;   a first balloon and a second balloon connected to an exterior surface of the elongated body in the distal end portion, the first balloon and the second balloon configured to fluidly isolate a portion of the biological lumen between the first and second balloons when inflated;   a central lumen extending through the elongated body from the distal end portion to the proximal end portion;   distal fluid ports and proximal fluid ports in the distal end portion of the elongated body, at least some of which are fluidly coupled to the central lumen for conducting fluid between the biological lumen of the patient and the central lumen, wherein the distal fluid ports are distal to the first and second balloons and the proximal fluid ports are proximal to the first and second balloons;   at least one balloon lumen arranged parallel to the central lumen and located within an outer perimeter of the elongated body;   at least one balloon port that fluidly couples the at least one balloon sidewall lumen to the first balloon, the second balloon, or both, for inflation and deflation of the first balloon, the second balloon, or both;   at least one conduction sidewall lumen arranged parallel to the central lumen and located within the outer perimeter of the elongated body; and   one or more intermediate fluid ports located in an intermediate region of the distal end portion of the elongated body between the first and second balloons, and fluidly coupled to the at least one conduction sidewall lumen.   
     
     
         2 . The multi-lumen cannula of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one balloon sidewall lumen comprises a first balloon sidewall lumen fluidly coupled to the first balloon via a first balloon port and a second balloon sidewall lumen fluidly coupled to the second balloon via a second balloon port. 
     
     
         3 . The multi-lumen cannula of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the at least one conduction sidewall lumen comprises two conduction sidewall lumens fluidly coupled to the conduction fluid ports. 
     
     
         4 . The multi-lumen cannula of any of  claims 1 - 3 , further comprising at least one additional sidewall lumen fluidly coupled to at least one of the distal fluid ports or at least one of the proximal fluid ports, or a combination thereof, and arranged parallel to the central lumen and located within the outer perimeter of the elongated body. 
     
     
         5 . The multi-lumen cannula of any one of  claims 1 - 4 , wherein the first balloon is positioned closest to a distal region of the distal end portion of the elongated body and wherein the distal region has a length ranging from about 3 cm to about 20 cm measured from a distal end of the first balloon to a distal end of the distal end portion of the elongated body. 
     
     
         6 . The multi-lumen cannula of  claim 5 , wherein the length of the distal region ranges from about 3 cm to 7 cm. 
     
     
         7 . The multi-lumen cannula of  claim 5 , wherein the length of the distal region ranges from about 5 cm to about 20 cm. 
     
     
         8 . The multi-lumen cannula of any one of  claims 1 - 7 , wherein the second balloon is positioned closest to a proximal region of the distal end portion of the elongated body and wherein the proximal region has a length ranging from about 3 cm to about 20 cm measured from a proximal end of the second balloon to a proximal end of a last proximal fluid port located in the distal end region. 
     
     
         9 . The multi-lumen cannula of  claim 8 , wherein the length ranges from about 5 cm to about 20 cm. 
     
     
         10 . The multi-lumen cannula of  claim 8 , wherein the length ranges from about 3 cm to about 10 cm. 
     
     
         11 . The multi-lumen cannula of any of  claims 5 - 10 , wherein the first balloon and the second balloon are separated by a distance of about 5 cm to about 15 cm measured from a proximal end of the first balloon to a distal end of the second balloon. 
     
     
         12 . The multi-lumen cannula of any of  claims 1 - 11 , wherein the cannula is configured to be introduced into a patient and placed with a distal region and proximal region of the distal end portion in the inferior vena cava and superior vena cava, and the intermediate region adjacent the right atrium. 
     
     
         13 . The multi-lumen cannula of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second balloons are configured to isolate the inferior vena cava and superior vena cava from the right atrium. 
     
     
         14 . A multi-lumen cannula, comprising:
 an elongated body having a distal end portion for placement in a patient's vena cava and a proximal end portion for placement outside the patient;   a first balloon and a second balloon connected to an exterior surface of the elongated body in the distal end portion, the first balloon for placement in the patient's inferior vena cava and the second balloon for placement in the patient's superior vena cava, the first balloon and the second balloon configured to fluidly isolate the patient's right atrium from the inferior vena cava and the superior vena cava when inflated;   a vacuum lumen extending through the elongated body from the distal end portion to the proximal end portion and fluidly coupled to one or more distal fluid ports and one or more proximal fluid ports in the distal end portion for conducting blood from the patient's vena cava; and   two balloon lumens fluidly coupled to at least two balloon ports and arranged parallel to the vacuum lumen within the elongated body, wherein one of the balloon ports fluidly couples one of the balloon lumens to the first balloon and another of the balloon ports fluidly couples another of the balloon lumens to the second balloon for inflation and deflation of the first balloon and the second balloon.   
     
     
         15 . The multi-lumen cannula of  claim 14 , further comprising two intermediate lumens fluidly coupled to one or more intermediate fluid ports located in an intermediate region of the distal end portion of the elongated body and arranged parallel to the vacuum lumen within the elongated body. 
     
     
         16 . The multi-lumen cannula of  claim 14  or  claim 15 , further comprising at least four additional vacuum lumens fluidly coupled to at least one of the distal fluid ports or at least one of the proximal fluid ports, or a combination thereof, and arranged parallel to the vacuum lumen and located within the elongated body. 
     
     
         17 . A method, comprising:
 introducing a multi-lumen cannula into the vena cava of a patient;   inflating a first balloon of the cannula within the inferior vena cava and a second balloon of the cannula within the superior vena cava to fluidly isolate the right atrium of the patient from the inferior vena cava or superior vena cava;   draining blood from the patent's inferior vena cava and superior vena cava through at least one distal fluid port in the cannula located distal to the first and second balloons and at least one proximal fluid port in the cannula located proximal to the first and second balloons; and   conducting a fluid to or from the right atrium through at least one intermediate fluid port in the cannula located between the first balloon and the second balloon.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first balloon and the second balloon are inflated sequentially. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first balloon and the second balloon are inflated simultaneously. 
     
     
         20 . The method of any one of  claims 17 - 19 , wherein conducting a fluid to or from the right atrium comprises delivering a cardioplegia solution to the right atrium. 
     
     
         21 . The method of any one of  claims 17 - 19 , wherein conducting a fluid to or from the right atrium comprises delivering re-oxygenated blood to the right atrium. 
     
     
         22 . The method of any one of  claims 17 - 21 , wherein the multi-lumen cannula is introduced into the patient's vena cava from an inferior access point such that the first balloon is positioned proximal to the second balloon. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the inferior access point is in the femoral vein. 
     
     
         24 . The method of any one of  claims 17 - 21 , wherein the multi-lumen cannula is introduced into the patient's vena cava from a superior access point such that the first balloon is positioned proximal to the second balloon. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the superior access point is in the internal jugular vein. 
     
     
         26 . The method of any one of  claims 17 - 25 , wherein the distal fluid ports, proximal fluid ports, and intermediate fluid ports drain blood to a common blood reservoir. 
     
     
         27 . The method of any one of  claims 17 - 25 , wherein the intermediate ports drain blood to a first destination and the proximal fluid ports and the distal fluid ports drain blood to a second destination segregated from the first destination. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the intermediate ports drain blood to a cell saver for hemoconcentration and the proximal fluid ports and distal fluid ports drain blood to a cardiotomy reservoir for recirculation.