Systems, devices, and methods for organ retroperfusion along with regional mild hypothermia

1. A perfusion method, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a first catheter having a first end, a second end, and a cannula extending from the first catheter at a location between the first end and the second end;

positioning at least part of the first catheter within an artery of a patient such that a portion of the cannula extends through an opening in a wall of the artery and arterial blood having a pressure is permitted to flow through both first end and second end of the first catheter and a portion of the arterial blood is permitted to flow through the cannula;

positioning at least part of a second catheter within a vein of the patient at or near a target organ, the second catheter configured to receive some or all of the portion of the arterial blood; and

directly connecting the cannula of the first catheter to a portion of the second catheter, while a heart of the patient is pumping blood, so that some or all of the portion of the arterial blood flowing through the cannula is provided into the vein to treat a condition or disease of the target organ, wherein said arterial blood flows through the cannula due to pumping of the patient's heart and without the use of a secondary pump.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of connecting the cannula to the portion of the second catheter is performed to permit blood flow from the cannula to the vein to treat a cardiac condition.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:

treating a cardiac condition by reducing and/or regulating a temperature of the portion of blood as the portion of blood flows through the cannula or connector directly connected to the cannula of the first catheter and the second catheter using a regional hypothermia system.

4. A perfusion method, the method comprising the steps of:

positioning at least a portion of an arterial tube of a perfusion system within an artery of a patient, the arterial tube configured to permit arterial blood having a first pressure to flow therethrough;

positioning at least a portion of a first catheter of the perfusion system into a vein of the patient at or near a target organ and directly connecting the first catheter to the arterial tube, the first catheter configured to receive some or all of the arterial blood from the arterial tube;

operating a first flow regulator of the perfusion system to regulate the pressure of the arterial blood flowing into the vein, while a heart of the patient is pumping blood, so that some or all of the arterial blood flowing through the arterial tube is provided into the vein at a second pressure to treat a condition or disease of the target organ, wherein said arterial blood flows through the arterial tube due to pumping of the patient's heart and without the use of a secondary pump;

treating a cardiac condition by reducing and/or regulating a temperature of the arterial blood as the arterial blood flows through the arterial tube using a regional hypothermia system comprising a heat exchanger operably coupled to the arterial tube.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of positioning at least part of the arterial tube is performed by positioning at least part of the arterial tube within an artery selected from the group consisting of a femoral artery, an internal femoral artery, an iliac artery, an axillary artery, a brachial artery, a subclavian artery, an epigastric artery, and an external carotid artery.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of operating a first flow regulator is performed to permit blood flow from the cannula to the vein to treat a cardiac condition.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of positioning at least a portion of a first catheter further comprises the step of inflating an expandable balloon positioned along the portion of the first catheter positioned in the vein to secure the portion of the first catheter within the vein.

8. The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of positioning at least a portion of an arterial tube further comprises the step of operating the first flow regulator to regulate blood flow from the artery to the vein prior to the step of positioning at least a portion of a first catheter so to eliminate an introduction of a gas within at least a portion of the perfusion system to the vein.

9. The method of claim 4 , further comprising the step of:

removing the at least a portion of a first catheter from the vein after an elapsed period of time after positioning the at least a portion of a first catheter into the vein, the elapsed period of time selected from the group consisting of within 24 hours, between 24 hours and 48 hours, and after 48 hours.

10. The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of operating a first flow regulator of the perfusion system is performed to control blood pressure to limit potential injury to the vein of the patient.

11. The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of positioning at least a portion of a first catheter is performed to position the first catheter at a location so not to impede coronary venous return.

12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising the step of:

temporarily deflating the expandable balloon during operation of the system to alleviate a localized increase in pressure or edema at or near the expandable balloon.

13. The method of claim 4 , wherein:

the step of directly connecting the first catheter to the arterial tube further comprises coupling a connector with both the first catheter and the arterial tube, the connector configured to allow arterial blood to flow continuously from the arterial tube to the first catheter; and

the heat exchanger of the regional hypothermia system is positioned at the connector.

14. A perfusion system, the system comprising:

a catheter, the catheter comprising:

an elongated body configured for placement within a section of a supply artery, the elongated body having a proximal open end, a distal open end, and at least one lumen extending between the proximal open end and the distal open end; and

a cannula configured to extend through an opening in the section of the supply artery, the cannula comprising a hollow interior in fluid communication with at least one of the at least one lumens of the elongated body; and

a regional hypothermia system operably coupled to the catheter, the regional hypothermia system;

the catheter configured so that when in use and when the proximal open end and the distal open end are each positioned within the section of the supply artery, a first quantity of blood flowing through the supply artery can flow through the supply artery, into the distal end of the elongated body, through the at least one lumen, and out of the proximal end of the elongated body back into the supply artery, and a second quantity of blood flows through the hollow interior of the cannula and out of a proximal end of the cannula and ultimately into a vein directly or indirectly connected to the cannula without requiring an external pump to pump blood through the catheter;

whereby the regional hypothermia system is operable to reduce and/or regulate a temperature of the second quantity of blood as the second quantity of blood flows through the hollow interior of the cannula or out of the proximal end of the cannula.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the hollow interior of the cannula comprises a first diameter, the at least one lumen comprises a second diameter and the first diameter is less than the second diameter.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the cannula extends from the elongated body such that an angle is formed between the cannula and the elongated body, and wherein the cannula is movable between an extended configuration wherein the angle comprises between 15° and 90° and a collapsed configuration wherein the angle comprises less than 15°.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the regional hypothermia system comprises a heat exchanger coupled directly to the catheter at the cannula or a connector coupled with and positioned immediately distal to the cannula.

18. The system of claim 14 , wherein one or more components of the regional hypothermia system uses a cooling product to reduce and/or regulate the temperature of the bodily fluid.

19. The system of claim 14 , further comprising:

one or more temperature sensors coupled to the catheter, the one or more temperature sensors operable to detect the temperature of the bodily fluid.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the regional hypothermia system further comprises a remote module in wired or wireless communication with the one or more temperature sensors, the remote module operable to and configured to receive the detected temperature(s) and process the same to regulate, reduce, and/or increase the temperature of the bodily fluid by way of altering an operation of the regional hypothermia system.