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Abstract

Disclosed is a double balloon multiple lumen nasobiliary occlusion catheter that includes two inflatable balloons positioned about the distal end of the catheter. The catheter comprises several lumens which are used for inflating and deflating the balloons, venting bile, aspirating bile from the treatment site, and infusing and aspirating the dissolution solution. When inflated, the balloons occlude the lumen of the bile duct at two points thereby creating a sealed space between the balloons into which a treatment solution may be infused. Since this space is sealed from the remaining biliary tree, the treatment solution will find access to the gallbladder and stones via the cystic duct with the exclusion of bile from the gallbladder fundus, or it will be confined in high concentration around bile duct gallstones located between the inflated balloons. While the treatment solution is applied to the gallstones or to fragments of gallstones, bile is excluded from the treatment site. In addition to dissolving gallstones using a treatment solution, the method of the present invention will dissolve fragments or transformed portions of gallstones, which are created when target stones are fractured by lithotripsy. Using the catheter described above, air contrast cholecsytography may also be performed, and the contents of the gallbladder may be sampled or removed using a catheter. Ultrasonic dissolution of gallstone may also be improved using this catheter by injecting air or gas which in turn increases or modifies the ultrasound energy absorption. Finally, pressure measurements may be taken utilizing the catheter in the bile ducts.

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First Claim