Double balloon nasobiliary occlusion catheter for treating gallstones and method of using the same

A method of dissolving gallstones lodged in the gallbladder of a human body with a dissolution agent, comprising the steps of:

• inserting a double balloon nasobiliary occlusion catheter into a human body in which gallstones have lodged in the gallbladder, said catheter having passages running therethrough for venting bile, for inflating and deflating balloons, and for infusing a dissolution agent and aspirating bile, cholesterol or other pigment laden dissolving solutions, said catheter being inserted so that the catheter extends into the common bile duct and common hepatic duct with a balloon positioned in the bile duct on each side of the entrance to the cystic duct;
• inflating said balloons by forcing a fluid through said inflating and deflating passage, said balloons being inflated through a diameter greater than the diameter of the bile duct so as to isolate the portion of the bile duct between said balloons;
• injecting a dissolution agent through said infusing and aspirating passage of said catheter into said isolated portion of the bile duct and into the cystic duct and gallbladder;
• aspirating said dissolution agent and dissolved gallstones from said gallbladder and cystic duct through said infusing and aspirating passage of said catheter;
• while said balloons are inflated, venting bile from the common hepatic duct through a distal end of said catheter through said bile venting passage of said catheter to the proximal end of said catheter;
• once said gallstones are dissolved, deflating said balloons by allowing the inflating fluid to be discharged through said inflating and deflating passage, and
• withdrawing the catheter from the body.