Apparatus and methods for treating congestive heart disease

Apparatus for perfusing one or more kidneys in vivo comprising:

• a catheter having first and second inflation lumens;
• and
• first and second occlusion balloons coupled in fluid communication to the first inflation lumen;
• a center balloon coupled in fluid communication to the second inflation lumen;
• and
• a valve for selectively coupling the first and second occlusion balloons to the first inflation lumen or coupling the center balloon to the second inflation lumen;
• and a pump coupled to the valve.

A method of enhancing perfusion of a patient's kidney in vivo, the method comprising:

• providing a catheter having an inlet port, an outlet port, a lumen there between, a first inflatable member and a pump;
• inserting the catheter through the patient's aorta so that the outlet port is disposed in a renal artery;
• inflating the inflatable member to retain the outlet port in the renal artery;
• disposing the inlet port in a source of autologous blood;
• coupling the pump to the catheter;
• and
• activating the pump to cause blood to flow from the inlet port to the outlet port.

A method of enhancing perfusion to a patient's kidney in vivo, the method comprising:

• providing a catheter having an inlet port, an outlet port, a lumen there between, first and second inflatable members and a pump;
• inserting the catheter through the patient's aorta so that the outlet port is disposed in the patient's aorta;
• inflating the first and second inflatable members to isolate a region of the aorta including the patient's junction to the renal arteries;
• disposing the inlet port in a source of autologous blood;
• coupling the pump to the catheter;
• and
• activating the pump to cause blood to flow from the inlet port to the outlet port.

A method of enhancing perfusion to a patient's kidneys in vivo, the method comprising:

• providing a catheter having first, second and third balloons, the third balloon disposed between the first and second balloons;
• placing the catheter in the patient's aorta so that the first and second balloons straddle a region of the aorta including the patient's junction to the renal arteries;
• inflating the first and second balloons to trap an amount of blood within the region and isolate the region;
• inflating the third balloon to direct the trapped blood into the renal arteries.

A method for enhancing perfusion of a patient's kidneys, the method comprising:

• providing an inflatable cuff;
• surgically placing the inflatable cuff around
• a patient's aorta at a location below the junction to the renal arteries constricted region;
• and
• inflating the inflatable cuff to create a backpressure in the aorta.

An apparatus for perfusing a patient's kidneys with blood, comprising:

• an elongated catheter shaft having a first end, a second end, a blood inlet port, a blood outlet port, and at least one lumen extending between the blood inlet port and the blood outlet port;
• an in-line blood pump;
• and
• at least one expandable member proximate to the second end which has an expanded configuration which secures the expanded expandable member within the abdominal aorta.

An apparatus for locally delivering a drug to a patient's kidney comprising:

• an elongated catheter shaft having a first end, a second end including at least one discharge port, and at least one lumen in fluid communication with the discharge ports;
• a drug source;
• and
• at least one expandable member proximate to the second end which has an expanded configuration which secures the expanded expandable member within the abdominal aorta.