Anti-embolic device and method

1. A method of diverting emboli from cerebral circulation, comprising:

placing a device at a neck of a patient, the device comprising members configured to compress carotid arteries of the patient, wherein each of the members comprises a foam or is nonporous, expandable, and capable of holding a fluid;

positioning a first of the members at a first of the carotid arteries;

positioning a second of the members at a second of the carotid arteries;

compressing the first carotid artery by the first member and compressing the second carotid artery by the second member during a procedure on the patient, wherein the pressure applied by the first member and the second member exceeds a systemic pressure of the patient by at least 10 mm of Hg, wherein the procedure comprises a time period during which emboli released upstream from the first and second carotid arteries move towards the first and second carotid arteries and may move toward the patient's brain, and wherein the first member and the second member reduce blood flow in the carotid arteries, resulting in diversion of emboli away from the carotid arteries of the patient by flowing through a descending aorta of the patient instead of into the first and second carotid arteries; and

releasing compression of the first and second carotid arteries.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising positioning each of the first member and the second member between a trachea and neck muscles of the patient.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

applying pressure to the first member and the second member to cause each of the first member and the second member to expand from a non-expanded state to an expanded state, wherein in the expanded state the members apply the compression to the carotid arteries.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

monitoring blood flow in the carotid arteries when compressing the first and second carotid arteries.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising alarming when the first carotid artery and the second carotid artery have been compressed for a certain amount of time.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

positioning a third member over the first and second members; and

applying pressure to the third member to expand the third member from a non-expanded configuration to an expanded configuration, thereby urging the first and second members in a direction toward a central axis of the neck of the patient.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the third member comprises a partial or complete circumferential relation to the neck of the patient, and provides inward compression of the carotid arteries when expanded from the non-expanded configuration to the expanded configuration.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising application of each of the first and second members to a respective side of the neck, wherein the first and second members are positioned between the patient's skin and the third member.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein at least one of the first and second members overlaps a course of one of the carotid arteries in a longitudinal direction, and wherein the third member overlaps a course of the least one of the carotid arteries in a transverse direction.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

varying a degree of pressure in at least one of the first or the second member to regulate a degree of compression of at least one of the carotid arteries.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first member comprises a connection to a pressure source via a first tube, and the second member comprises a connection to the first member via a second tube, further comprising:

applying pressure from the pressure source;

wherein the first member receives the pressure via the first tube and expands from a non-expanded configuration to an expanded configuration, and the second member receives the pressure via the second tube and expands from a non-expanded configuration to an expanded configuration.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first member comprises a connection to a pressure source via a first tube, and the second member comprises a connection to the pressure source via a second tube, further comprising:

applying pressure from the pressure source;

wherein the first member receives the pressure via the first tube and expands from a non-expanded configuration to an expanded configuration, and the second member receives the pressure via the second tube and expands from a non-expanded configuration to an expanded configuration.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the emboli comprise fragments of atherosclerotic plaque released during the time period.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the procedure comprises at least one of an aortic valvuloplasty, an aortic valve implantation, a coronary intervention, a cardiac ablation, and an endovascular procedure.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first member and the second member each comprise a material that can be compressed and that can subsequently expand back into an original shape.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first member and the second member each comprise foam.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising inserting the first member into a first insertion pocket of the device, and inserting the second member into a second insertion pocket of the device.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the time period occurs during at least one of an aortic cross clamp manipulation, heart manipulation, heart valve manipulation, cardiac ablation manipulation, coronary artery manipulation, aorta manipulation.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the compressing of the first and second carotid arteries occurs throughout the time period.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compressing of the first and second carotid arteries occurs throughout the time period.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compressing of the first and second carotid arteries begins prior to the time period and continues at least until the time period has ended.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising compressing the first and second carotid arteries for a time from approximately 30-90 seconds after the time period has ended to achieve a washout of the emboli from the heart and the thoracic aorta.

23. The method of claim 1 , wherein the emboli comprise air bubbles and thrombi.

24. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compression of the first and second carotid arteries is released after the time period has ended.

25. The method of claim 1 , wherein the emboli form as a consequence of the procedure.

26. A method of diverting emboli from cerebral circulation comprising:

placing a device at a neck of a patient, the device comprising first and second means for compressing respective first and second carotid arteries of the patient;

compressing the first carotid artery by the first means and compressing the second carotid artery by the second means during a procedure on the patient, wherein the pressure applied by the first and second means exceeds a systemic pressure of the patient by at least 10 mm of Hg, wherein the procedure comprises a time period during which emboli released upstream from the first and second carotid arteries move towards the first and second carotid arteries and may move toward the patient's brain, and wherein the first and the second means reduce blood flow in the carotid arteries, resulting in diversion of emboli away from the carotid arteries of the patient by flowing through a descending aorta of the patient instead of into the first and second carotid arteries; and

releasing compression of the first and second carotid arteries.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the emboli form as a consequence of the procedure.

28. The method of claim 26 , wherein the releasing compression starts after an amount of time has elapsed after the time period to achieve a washout of emboli released.