A cylinder-shaped balloon catheter for the management of dissecting aneurysms in acute stage

We developed a new procedure to close the entry of dissecting aneurysm in acute stage with a specially designed cylinder-shaped balloon catheter. The balloon catheter consists of 7F double lumen catheter and a silicone rubber balloon at the tip. The balloon has a central tube 14 mm caliber made of rigid silicone and it inflates into the shape of a cylinder with an injected solution. The central tube serves as a route for maintaining the aortic blood flow to the distal site. The catheter with a deflated balloon is inserted into the thoracic aorta ascendingly through a 14 or 16 mm caliber Dacron vascular graft sutured at the side of the distal aorta in a similar manner to intra-aortic balloon pumping. The tip of the catheter is carried to the entry tear of the pseudo-lumen. Then the cylinder-shaped balloon is inflated with solution. The entry is, therefore, closed with the side wall of the balloon and the blood stream into the dissected lumen is occluded while maintaining an aortic blood flow to the distal site. To prevent any possible occlusion due to thrombosis, some type of anticoagulant is administered via the catheter connected to a continuous injector. The healing process of the dissected lumen can be enhanced by injecting some type of coagulant directly into the lumen. The treatment is completed when the blood in the false lumen coagulates and stabilizes. The cylinder-shaped balloon is then deflated and the catheter withdrawn. The graft is removed and the stump is sutured.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)