Methods and devices for occluding the ascending aorta and maintaining circulation of oxygenated blood in the patient when the patient's heart is arrested

A device for occluding a patient's aorta, the device comprising:

• a cannula having a proximal end. a distal end, and a lumen extending through at least a portion of the shaft;
• an occluding member movable between a collapsed orientation and an expanded orientation, the occluding member being sized and configured to occlude a patient's aorta when positioned therein in said expanded orientation;
• wherein the occluding member comprises a non-inflatable structure which is moved between said collapsed and expanded orientations by mechanical actuation, the non-inflatable structure having an interior in communication with the lumen of the first shaft and an exterior which is substantially impervious to fluid, the exterior of the non-inflatable structure substantially preventing fluid flow through the aorta when the occluding member is positioned in the aorta in said expanded orientation;
• and
• an actuator for moving the occluding member from one of said collapsed and expanded orientations to the other of said orientations.

A method of occluding a patient's aorta and delivering oxygenated blood to the patient's circulatory system, the method comprising steps of:

• providing a cannula having an occluding member mounted thereon, wherein the occluding member comprises a non-inflatable structure which is movable between a collapsed orientation and an expanded orientation and has an exterior which is substantially impervious to fluid;
• positioning the occluding member in a patient's aorta while the occluding member is in said collapsed orientation;
• moving the occluding member to said expanded orientation, without inflating the occluding member, to occlude the patient's aorta;
• delivering oxygenated blood to the patient's aorta;
• and
• delivering cardioplegic fluid to the patient to arrest the patient's heart.