Retrograde venous perfusion with isolation of cerebral circulation

A method for retrograde venous perfusion, comprising the steps of:

• providing a catheter having a proximal end, a distal end, a first lumen extending from the proximal end to an infusion port located at the distal end, an expandable occluder located proximal the infusion port, and a second lumen extending from the proximal end to a return port located proximal the expandable occluder;
• inserting the catheter into the vena cava;
• positioning the occluder in the superior vena cava;
• expanding the occluder;
• withdrawing venous blood from the vena cava through the return port and the second lumen;
• passing the venous blood to a bypass-oxygenator machine;
• infusing oxygenated medium into the superior vena cava through the first lumen and infusion port, wherein the oxygenated medium is returned to the cerebral tissues by retrograde venous perfusion;
• connecting a proximal end of a third lumen to the bypass-oxygenator machine;
• inserting a distal end of the third lumen into a femoral artery;
• and
• infusing a second portion of oxygenated medium from the bypass-oxygenator machine into the femoral artery.