Retrograde coronary sinus catheter

A coronary sinus catheter assembly for the retrograde infusion of cardioplegia solution into the coronary sinus of a patient's heart, the catheter assembly comprising:

• a catheter comprising:
• a flexible, elongate catheter tube having proximal and distal ends and including infusion, pressure-sensing and inflation lumens extending longitudinally through the catheter tube, at least one infusion lumen outlet generally adjacent the distal end of the catheter tube, and at least one pressure-sensing lumen outlet generally adjacent the distal end of the catheter tube;
• an inflatable balloon on the catheter tube, generally adjacent the distal end of the catheter tube proximally of the infusion lumen and pressure-sensing lumen outlets, for securing the distal end of the catheter in the coronary sinus, one end of the inflation lumen being in fluid communication with the interior of the balloon for inflating the balloon, and the balloon being molded of elastomeric material having a durometer in the range of 20 to 35 on the Shore A scale, and having a wall thickness in the range of 0.3-0.5 millimeters when not inflated, the balloon further having a plurality of outwardly-facing spaced-apart lands or ribs for frictionally engaging the coronary sinus;
• pressure sensor tube means for providing an observable indication of pressure in the balloon to indicate the status of the balloon, the pressure sensor tube means comprising a pressure sensor tube, one end of which is in fluid communication with the end of the inflation lumen opposite the inflation balloon, the pressure sensor tube being formed of elastomeric material having a durometer greater than 35 on the Shore A scale, and having a wall thickness greater than 0.6 millimeters, the pressure non-expansible relative to the internal volume of the inflation balloon in normal operation of the catheter;
• and
• a connection device in fluid communication with the end of the pressure sensor tube opposite the inflation lumen for connecting a pressurizing means to the catheter to inflate and/or deflate the inflatable balloon;
• and
• a stylet removably received in the infusion lumen of the catheter.

A coronary sinus catheter for the retrograde infusion of cardioplegia solution into the coronary sinus of a patient's heart, the catheter comprising:

• a flexible, elongate catheter tube having proximal and distal ends and including infusion, pressure-sensing and inflation lumens extending longitudinally through tube, at least one infusion outlet generally adjacent the distal end of the catheter tube, and at least one pressure-sensing lumen outlet generally adjacent the distal end of the catheter tube;
• an inflatable balloon on the catheter tube, generally adjacent the distal end of the catheter tube proximally of the infusion lumen and pressure-sensing lumen outlets for securing the distal end of the catheter in the coronary sinus, one end of the inflation lumen being in fluid communication with the interior of the balloon for inflating the balloon, and the balloon being molded of elastomeric material having a durometer in the range of 20 to 35 on the Shore A scale, and having a wall thickness in the range of 0.3-0.5 millimeters when not inflated;
• a pressure sensor tube for sensing pressure in the balloon to indicate the status of the balloon, one end of the pressure sensor tube being in fluid communication with the end of the inflation lumen opposite the inflation balloon, the pressure sensor tube being formed of elastomeric material having a durometer greater than 35 on the Shore A scale, and having a wall thickness greater than 0.6 millimeters, the pressure sensor tube having an internal volume that is relatively non-expansible relative to the internal volume of the inflation balloon in normal operation of the catheter;
• a connection device in fluid communication with the end of the pressure sensor tube opposite the inflation lumen for connecting a pressurizing means to the catheter to inflate and/or deflate the inflatable balloon;
• and
• a temperature sensing strip positioned along the infusion lumen generally adjacent the proximal end of the catheter, the temperature sensing strip including display means on the catheter for displaying the temperature of the fluid being infused.

A coronary sinus catheter for the retrograde infusion of cardioplegia solution into the coronary sinus of a patient's heart, the catheter comprising:

• a flexible, elongate catheter tube having proximal and distal ends and including infusion, pressure-sensing and inflation lumens extending longitudinally through tube, at least one infusion lumen outlet generally adjacent the distal end of the catheter tube, and at least one pressure-sensing lumen outlet generally adjacent the distal end of the catheter tube;
• an inflatable balloon on the catheter tube, generally adjacent the distal end of the catheter tube proximally of the infusion lumen and pressure-sensing lumen outlets, for securing the distal end of the catheter in the coronary sinus, one end of the inflation lumen being in fluid communication with the interior of the balloon for inflating the balloon, and the balloon being molded of elastomeric material having a durometer in the range of 20 to 35 on the Shore A scale, and having a wall thickness in the range of 0.3-0.5 millimeters when not inflated;
• a pressure sensor tube for sensing pressure in the balloon to indicate the status of the balloon, one end of the pressure sensor tube being in fluid communication with the end of the inflation lumen opposite the inflation balloon, the pressure sensor tube being formed of elastomeric material having a durometer greater than 35 on the Shore A scale, and having a wall thickness greater than 0.6 millimeters, the pressure sensor tube having an internal volume that is relatively non-expansible relative to the internal volume of the inflation balloon in normal operation of the catheter;
• and
• a connection device in fluid communication with the end of the pressure sensor tube opposite the inflation lumen for connecting a pressurizing means to the catheter to inflate and/or deflate the inflatable balloon;
• the infusion lumen including a constricted portion spaced from the infusion lumen outlet, the total cross-sectional area of the infusion lumen outlet(s) being substantially greater than the cross-sectional area of the constricted portion of the infusion lumen so that fluid exiting the infusion lumen outlet is decelerated relative to its velocity through the constricted portion of the infusion lumen;
• and
• the distal end of the catheter tube comprising a rounded-conical distal tip having a closed end, and the infusion lumen outlet comprising a plurality of elongate outlet slots formed in the distal tip, the elongate slots being spaced approximately equally around the circumference of the distal tip.

A coronary sinus catheter for the retrograde infusion of cardioplegia solution into the coronary sinus of a patient's heart, the catheter comprising:

• a flexible, elongate catheter tube having proximal and distal ends and including infusion and pressure-sensing lumens extending longitudinally through the tube, at least one infusion lumen outlet generally adjacent the distal end of the catheter tube, and at least one pressure-sensing lumen outlet generally adjacent the distal end of the catheter tube;
• an inflatable balloon on the catheter tube generally adjacent the distal end of the catheter tube proximally of the infusion lumen and pressure-sensing lumen outlets for securing the distal end of the catheter in the coronary sinus;
• a distal tip on the distal end of the catheter tube;
• and
• a constricted portion in the infusion lumen generally adjacent the distal end of the catheter tube but spaced from the infusion lumen outlet, the total cross-sectional area of the infusion lumen outlet(s) being substantially greater than the cross-sectional area of the constricted portion of the infusion lumen so that fluid exiting the infusion lumen outlet is decelerated relative to its velocity through the constricted portion of the infusion lumen;
• the distal tip comprising a rounded-conical distal tip having a closed end, the infusion lumen outlet comprising a plurality of elongate outlet slots formed in the distal tip, the elongate slots being spaced approximately equally around the circumference of the distal tip;
• and
• the pressure-sensing lumen outlet opening into one of the elongate outlet slots.

A coronary sinus catheter for the retrograde infusion of cardioplegia solution into the coronary sinus of a patient's heart, the catheter comprising:

• a flexible, elongate catheter tube having proximal and distal ends and including infusion and pressure-sensing lumens extending longitudinally through the tube, at least one infusion lumen outlet generally adjacent the distal end of the catheter tube, and at least one pressure-sensing lumen outlet generally adjacent the distal end of the catheter tube;
• an inflatable balloon on the catheter tube generally adjacent the distal end of the catheter tube proximally of the infusion lumen and pressure-sensing lumen outlets for securing the distal end of the catheter in the coronary sinus;
• a distal tip on the distal end of the catheter tube, the infusion lumen outlet comprising a plurality of elongate outlet slots in the distal tip, the elongate outlet slots being spaced approximately equally around the distal tip;
• and
• a constricted portion in the infusion lumen generally adjacent the distal end of the catheter tube but spaced from the elongate outlet slots, the total cross-sectional area of the lumen outlet(s) elongate outlet slots being substantially greater than the cross-sectional area of the constricted portion of the infusion lumen so that fluid exiting the elongate outlet slots is decelerated relative to its velocity through the constricted portion of the infusion lumen.

A coronary sinus catheter for the retrograde infusion of cardioplegia solution into the coronary sinus of a patient's heart, the catheter comprising:

• a flexible, elongate catheter tube having proximal and distal ends and including infusion and pressure-sensing lumens extending longitudinally through the tube, at least one infusion lumen outlet generally adjacent the distal end of the catheter tube, and at least one pressure-sensing lumen outlet generally adjacent the distal end of the catheter tube;
• an inflatable balloon, on the catheter tube generally adjacent the distal end of the catheter tube proximally of the infusion lumen and pressure-sensing lumen outlets, for securing the distal end of the catheter in the coronary sinus;
• means for connecting a fluid line to the proximal end of the catheter in fluid communication with the infusion lumen so that the infusion lumen can be provided with cardioplegia solution;
• means for connecting a pressure-sensing line to the proximal end of the catheter in fluid communication with the pressure-sensing lumen, thereby allowing monitoring of pressure in the coronary sinus during administration of cardioplegia;
• and
• a temperature sensing strip mounted adjacent the proximal end of the catheter along the infusion lumen for sensing the temperature of the fluid being infused, the temperature sensing strip including display means on the catheter for displaying the temperature of the fluid being infused.

A coronary sinus catheter for the retrograde infusion of cardioplegia solution into the coronary sinus of a patient's heart, the catheter comprising:

• a flexible, elongate catheter tube having proximal and distal ends and including infusion and pressure-sensing lumens extending longitudinally through the tube, at least one infusion lumen outlet generally adjacent the distal end of the catheter tube, and at least one pressure-sensing lumen outlet generally adjacent the distal end of the catheter tube;
• an inflatable balloon, on the catheter tube generally adjacent the distal end of the catheter tube proximally of the infusion lumen and pressure-sensing lumen outlets for securing the distal end of the catheter in the coronary sinus;
• a distal tip on the distal end of the catheter tube;
• a constricted portion in the infusion lumen generally adjacent the distal end of the catheter tube but spaced from the infusion lumen outlet, the total cross-sectional area of the infusion lumen outlet(s) being substantially greater than the cross-sectional area of the constricted portion of the infusion lumen so that fluid exiting the infusion lumen outlet is decelerated relative to its velocity through the constricted portion of the infusion lumen;
• and
• a temperature sensing strip positioned along the infusion lumen generally adjacent the proximal end of the catheter, the temperature sensing strip including display means on the catheter for displaying the temperature of the fluid being infused.

A coronary sinus catheter for the retrograde infusion of cardioplegia solution into the coronary sinus of a patient's heart, the catheter comprising:

• a flexible, elongate catheter tube having proximal and distal ends and including infusion and pressure-sensing lumens extending longitudinally through the tube, at least one infusion lumen outlet generally adjacent the distal end of the catheter tube, and at least one pressure-sensing lumen outlet generally adjacent the distal end of the catheter tube;
• an inflatable balloon, on the catheter tube generally adjacent the distal end of the catheter tube proximally of the infusion lumen and pressure-sensing lumen outlets for securing the distal end of the catheter in the coronary sinus;
• a distal tip on the distal end of the catheter tube;
• and
• a constricted portion in the infusion lumen generally adjacent the distal end of the catheter tube but spaced from the infusion lumen outlet, the total cross-sectional area of the infusion lumen outlet(s) being substantially greater than the cross-sectional area of the constricted portion of the infusion lumen so that fluid exiting the infusion lumen outlet is decelerated relative to its velocity through the constricted portion of the infusion lumen;
• at least one balloon-inflating opening being formed in the catheter tube between the interior of the balloon and the infusion lumen, the constricted portion being positioned along the infusion lumen between the balloon-inflating opening and the infusion lumen outlet such that the constricted portion is adapted to create back pressure in the infusion lumen to inflate the balloon when fluid is being infused through the catheter.