Systems and method for practicing counter-cardiac retrograde perfusion

A system for performing retrograde perfusion on a patient, comprising:

• a venous catheter configured for insertion into a vein that serves an organ to be supplied with oxygenated blood;
• an arterial catheter configured for insertion into an artery that supplies oxygenated blood;
• a monitoring device configured to monitor cardiac function of the patient;
• and
• a pumping device in electrical communication with the monitoring device, the pumping device being configured to siphon blood from the artery via the arterial catheter and pump it into the vein via the venous catheter, wherein blood is pumped into the vein in accordance with cardiac function information provided by the monitoring device such that blood is pumped only during diastole.

A system for performing retrograde perfusion on a patient, comprising:

• a venous catheter configured for insertion into a vein that serves an organ to be supplied with oxygenated blood;
• an arterial catheter configured for insertion into an artery that supplies oxygenated blood;
• a monitoring device configured to monitor cardiac function of the patient;
• and
• a pumping device in electrical communication with the monitoring device, the pumping device being configured to siphon blood from the artery via the arterial catheter and continuously pump it into the vein via the venous catheter, the pumping device further being configured to inflate the venous catheter balloon in accordance with cardiac function information provided by the monitoring device such that the balloon is inflated in a counter-cardiac manner only during diastole to thereby urge oxygenated blood through the vein during diastole.

A catheter, comprising:

• a lumen having a proximal end and a distal end;
• a self-inflating balloon adjacent the distal end of the lumen;
• a coupler positioned at the proximal end of the lumen, the coupler including at least one port through which fluid may pass;
• and
• a sharp bend formed in the lumen.

A catheter, comprising:

• a lumen having a proximal end and a distal end, the lumen having a length that enables it to extend from an adult femoral vein, through the vena cava, a subclavian vein, and into an internal jugular vein;
• a self-inflating balloon adjacent the distal end of the lumen;
• and
• a coupler positioned at the proximal end of the lumen, the coupler including at least one port through which fluid may pass.

A catheter, comprising:

• a lumen having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end of the lumen including an opening that opens to an interior of the lumen;
• an inflatable balloon adjacent the distal end of the lumen;
• a coupler positioned at the proximal end of the lumen, the coupler including two ports, a first port that is in fluidic communication with the lumen interior and the opening such that blood can be pumped through the first port, along the lumen, and out through the opening;
• and
• an auxiliary lumen in fluidic communication with the second port and the inflatable balloon such that gas can be pumped through the second port, along the auxiliary lumen, and into the balloon to inflate it.

A catheter, comprising:

• a lumen having a proximal end and a distal end;
• two inflatable balloons positioned along the lumen;
• a set apertures formed through the lumen between the inflatable balloons;
• an opening provided at the distal end of the lumen;
• and
• a coupler positioned at the proximal end of the lumen, the coupler including a first port that is in fluidic communication with the apertures such that blood can be pumped through the first port and out through the apertures, and a second port in fluidic communication with the balloons such that gas can be pumped through the second port and into the balloons to inflate them.