Trans-esophageal aortic flow rate control

A device for trans-esophageal aortic flow control, comprising:

• an esophageal tube having a distal end and a proximal end;
• an anchoring device adjacent the distal end of the esophageal tube and configured to secure placement of the distal end of the esophageal tube in a patient's stomach;
• and
• an actuator configured to apply a compressive force posteriorly in the patient's esophagus in a direction of the patient's aorta, wherein said actuator is positioned on said esophageal tube proximally to the anchoring device by a sufficient distance to cause the actuator to be aligned with a portion of the patient's esophagus that is distal to an intersection of the patient's esophagus and the patient's diaphragm when the anchoring device is positioned inside of the patient's stomach.

A method for trans-esophageal aortic flow control, comprising:

• providing a trans-esophageal aortic flow control device comprising an esophageal tube having a distal end and a proximal end, an anchoring device adjacent the distal end of the esophageal tube and configured to secure placement of the distal end of the esophageal tube in a patient's stomach, and an actuator configured to apply a compressive force posteriorly in the patient's esophagus in a direction of the patient's aorta at a location in the patient's aorta that is proximal to the patient's diaphragm to at least partially occlude the patient's aorta at said location;
• inflating the anchoring device inside of the patient's stomach;
• and
• extending the actuator from the esophageal tube to contact the interior of the patient's esophagus so as to compress the patient's aorta at a location that is distal to the patient's diaphragm.