A
system for inducing cardioplegic arrest and performing an endovascular procedure within the heart or blood vessels of a patient. An endoaortic partitioning
catheter has an
inflatable balloon which occludes the
ascending aorta when inflated. Cardioplegic fluid may be infused through a lumen of the endoaortic partitioning
catheter to stop the heart while the patient's
circulatory system is supported on
cardiopulmonary bypass. One or more endovascular devices are introduced through an internal lumen of the endoaortic partitioning
catheter to perform a diagnostic or therapeutic endovascular procedure within the heart or blood vessels of the patient.
Surgical procedures such as
coronary artery bypass surgery or
heart valve replacement may be performed in conjunction with the endovascular procedure while the heart is stopped. Embodiments of the
system are described for performing: fiberoptic angioscopy of structures within the heart and its blood vessels, valvuloplasty for correction of valvular
stenosis in the aortic or
mitral valve of the heart,
angioplasty for therapeutic dilatation of coronary
artery stenoses, coronary stenting for dilatation and stenting of coronary
artery stenoses,
atherectomy or endarterectomy for removal of atheromatous material from within coronary
artery stenoses, intravascular
ultrasonic imaging for observation of structures and diagnosis of
disease conditions within the heart and its associated blood vessels, fiberoptic
laser angioplasty for removal of atheromatous material from within coronary artery stenoses, transmyocardial
revascularization using a side-firing fiberoptic
laser catheter from within the chambers of the heart, and electrophysiological mapping and
ablation for diagnosing and treating electrophysiological conditions of the heart.