48 results about "Cardiac support" patented technology

A reverse flow pump comprising two concentric passageways and an interior compartment having cut out portions in communication with a pump passageway for the directional flow of fluid relative to the pump, and a rotor positioned within the interior compartment for reversing the directional flow of fluid through a region in communication with another pump passageway. A reverse flow pump and cannula system is further provided comprising an inner cannula adjoining a pump passageway, and an outer conduit adjoining another pump passageway for the reverse flow of fluid relative to the pump. A method of transporting fluid between body cavities is also provided comprising the steps of selecting a reverse flow pump and cannula system, forming an opening in a body passageway, positioning the outer conduit through the opening, inserting the inner cannula into the outer conduit so that the distal openings of the inner cannula and the outer conduit are positioned in separated portions of the body, connecting the inlet and the outlet passageways of the pump to the proximal ends of the inner cannula and the outer conduit, and activating the pump to transport fluid between the separated portions of the body.

A cannulation system for cardiac support uses an inner cannula disposed within an outer cannula. The outer cannula includes a fluid inlet for placement within the right atrium of a heart. The inner cannula includes a fluid inlet extending through the fluid inlet of the outer cannula and the atrial septum for placement within at least one of the left atrium and left ventricle of the heart. The cannulation system also employs a pumping assembly coupled to the inner and outer cannulas to withdraw blood from the right atrium for delivery to the pulmonary artery to provide right heart support, or to withdraw blood from at least one of the left atrium and left ventricle for delivery into the aorta to provide left heart support, or both.

This is a support device that prevents, reduces, and delays remodeling of diseased cardiac tissue, and also decreases the impact of such remodeling on collateral tissue is disclosed. The invention further reinforces abnormal tissue regions to prevent over-expansion of the tissue due to increased afterload and excessive wall tension. As a result, the support device prevents phenomenon such as systolic stretch from occurring and propagating. The support structure maintains and restores diastolic compliance, wall motion, and ejection fraction to preserve heart functionality. As such, the support device prevents and treats cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure.

A highly compliant and elastic cardiac support device is provided. The device is constructed from a biocompatible material is applied to an external surface of a heart. The device can be used to resist dilatation of the heart, to provide acute wall support, or to enhance reduction in the size of the heart using stored potential energy, without interfering with systolic contraction.

Disclosed is an expandable transluminal sheath, for introduction into the body while in a first, low cross-sectional area configuration, and subsequent expansion of at least a part of the distal end of the sheath to a second, enlarged cross-sectional configuration. The sheath is configured for use in the vascular system and has utility in the introduction and removal of balloon counterpulsation catheters. The access route is through the femoral arteries and the iliac arteries into the aorta, where an intra-aortic balloon pump catheter is positioned to provide cardiac support. The distal end of the sheath is maintained in the first, low cross-sectional configuration during advancement to the arteries into the aorta. The distal end of the sheath is subsequently expanded using a radial dilatation device.

Methods for using blood pumps to treat heart failure are disclosed. The pump is mounted on an interior of a stent, and the stent is releasably mounted on a distal end of a catheter. The distal end of the catheter is inserted into a peripheral artery and advanced to position at a region of interest within the descending aorta, the ascending aorta, or the left ventricle. The stent and the pump are released from the catheter, and the pump is activated to increase blood flow downstream of the pump. The pump can also be positioned in the vena cava or used to treat right-sided heart failure following the insertion of an LVAD, or to improve venous return in patients with varicose veins. Non-stent pumps are described for insertion between the pulmonary vein and aorta, and between the vena cava and pulmonary artery designed for use during cardiac surgery.

A highly compliant and elastic cardiac support device is provided. The device is constructed from a biocompatible material is applied to an external surface of a heart. The device can be used to resist dilatation of the heart, to provide acute wall support, or to enhance reduction in the size of the heart using stored potential energy, without interfering with systolic contraction.

A high efficiency cardiac support system is suitable for chronic use in treating heart failure, wherein the system includes an implantable rotary blood pump, an implantable power module, a wireless power transfer subsystem, a patient monitor, and a programmer. In a cardiac support system, the cumulative efficiencies of the components of the system are capable of providing therapeutically effective blood flow for a typical day of awake hours using the energy from a single wireless recharge of an implanted rechargeable energy source. Moreover, the implantable rechargeable energy source may be recharged during a normal sleep period of 8 hours or less. The system may provide full or partial cardiac support without the need for external wearable batteries, controllers, or cables.

This invention describes apical access methods and devices that enable repair, modification, removal, and / or replacement of a defective heart valve while allowing the beating heart to deliver blood flow through the defective valve annulus for an extended period of time in volumes sufficient to sustain life. The invention is comprised of a flow housing having a blood inflow opening, a blood outflow opening, and a one-way valve disposed within the flow housing between the inflow and outflow openings.

A cannulation system for cardiac support uses an inner cannula disposed within an outer cannula. The outer cannula includes a fluid inlet for placement within the right atrium of a heart. The inner cannula includes a fluid inlet extending through the fluid inlet of the outer cannula and the atrial septum for placement within at least one of the left atrium and left ventricle of the heart. The cannulation system also employs a pumping assembly coupled to the inner and outer cannulas to withdraw blood from the right atrium for delivery to the pulmonary artery to provide right heart support, or to withdraw blood from at least one of the left atrium and left ventricle for delivery into the aorta to provide left heart support, or both.

A method for treating a disease of the heart such as congestive heart failure includes forming an access opening from a heart chamber into a pericardial space defined between an epicardial surface of the heart and a pericardium opposing the epicardial surface. A cardiac support member is deployed into said pericardial space through said access opening with said cardiac support member selected to engage an epicardial surface of said heart and relieve a wall tension of said heart.

The present invention provides a method for repairing damaged myocardium. The method comprises using a combination of cellular cardiomyoplasty and electrostimulation for myogenic predifferentiation of stem cells and to synchronize the contractions of the transplanted cells with the cardiac cells. The method comprises the steps of obtaining stem or myogenic cells from a donor, culturing and electrostimulating the isolated cells in vitro, and implanting the cells into the damaged myocardium.

A jacket of biological compatible material has an internal volume dimensioned for an apex of the heart to be inserted into the volume and for the jacket to be slipped over the heart. The jacket has a longitudinal dimension between upper and lower ends sufficient for the jacket to surround a lower portion of the heart with the jacket surrounding a valvular annulus of the heart and further surrounding the lower portion to cover at least the ventricular lower extremities of the heart. The jacket is adapted to be secured to the heart with the jacket surrounding at least the valvular annulus and the ventricular lower extremities. The jacket is adjustable on the heart to snugly conform to an external geometry of the heart and assume a maximum adjusted volume for the jacket to constrain circumferential expansion of the heart beyond the maximum adjusted volume during diastole and to permit unimpeded contraction of the heart during systole.

A system for providing cardiac support to a patient and for promoting myocardial repair and recovery, comprises a device for connecting to a vasculature of the patient and a control module. The device includes a pump, defining a blood-receiving volume, and a cannula, in fluid communication with the blood-receiving volume, for anatomizing to the vasculature of the patient such that the blood-receiving volume may receive blood from and return blood to the vasculature of the patient through the cannula. The control module is for controlling the device and includes a means for establishing user-defined parameters, and a means for operating the pump of the device, which is in communication with the means for establishing user-defined parameters such that the operation of the pump is in response to the established user-defined parameters.

A high efficiency cardiac support system is suitable for chronic use in treating heart failure, wherein the system includes an implantable rotary blood pump, an implantable power module, a wireless power transfer subsystem, a patient monitor, and a programmer In a cardiac support system, the cumulative efficiencies of the components of the system are capable of providing therapeutically effective blood flow for a typical day of awake hours using the energy from a single wireless recharge of an implanted rechargeable energy source. Moreover, the implantable rechargeable energy source may be recharged during a normal sleep period of 8 hours or less. The system may provide full or partial cardiac support without the need for external wearable batteries, controllers, or cables.

The present invention provides a method for repairing damaged myocardium. The method comprises using a combination of cellular cardiomyoplasty and electrostimulation for myogenic predifferentiation of stem cells and to synchronize the contractions of the transplanted cells with the cardiac cells. The method comprises the steps of obtaining stem or myogenic cells from a donor, culturing and electrostimulating the isolated cells in vitro, and implanting the cells into the damaged myocardium.

A tension indicator and a method for treating cardiac disease using the tension indicator is provided. The tension indicator is configured for placement between a cardiac support device and the epicardial surface to determine the pressure exerted by the device on the epicardial surface.

A cardiac support device including a jacket and elastic securing structure for self-securing the jacket to a heart. The securing structures can include undulating metal and polymer elements, a silicone band and elastomeric filaments.

A minimal intrusive cardiac support apparatus is disclosed which requires only one incision into a main blood vessel or heart chamber. The apparatus includes a pair of generally coaxial and slideably arranged cannulae (one inner and one outer) communicatively coupled to a blood pump for providing right-heart and / or left-heart cardiac support during cardiac surgery. Optional balloons may be mounted on the outside of the inner and outer conduits which can be selectively inflated to seal off the sides surrounding vessel or to deliver cooling fluid or medication to the surrounding tissue. Using the apparatus, a method of pumping blood through the body is also disclosed.

A pattern for a three dimensional cardiac support device that includes a proximal edge having a concave shape; and a seam edge that includes: first and second sides, wherein said first and second sides are substantially symmetrical along a vertical axis, first and second upward inflection regions, first and second downward inflection regions; and an intersection point. A three dimensional cardiac support device that includes: a pattern, wherein said pattern is substantially symmetrical along a vertical axis, and wherein said pattern includes a proximal edge having a concave shape, and a seam edge that includes: first and second sides, first and second downward inflection regions, first and second downward inflection regions, and an intersection point; and a seam wherein the seam is formed by folding the pattern across the vertical axis and joining the seam edge to itself. A three dimensional cardiac support device formed from a two-dimensional material, wherein the three-dimensional cardiac support device has seams having a seam length, and a surface area, wherein the ratio of the seam length to the surface area is from about 0.1 / inch to about 0.2 / inch.

A system and methods of using a multi-lumen catheter and a blood pump to increase cardiac output and blood oxygenation are described. The system diverts deoxygenated blood from the right atrium to the left atrium, through the atrial septum. The catheter is adapted for simultaneously pumping blood to and from a patient's heart. A gas exchanger may be used as part of the system to remove CO2 and add o2 to the blood that is pumped via the system. Components or portions of the system may be implantable in the patient.

A minimal intrusive cardiac support apparatus is disclosed which requires only one incision into a main blood vessel or heart chamber. The apparatus includes a pair of generally coaxial and slideably arranged cannulae (one inner and one outer) communicatively coupled to a blood pump for providing right-heart and / or left-heart cardiac support during cardiac surgery. Optional balloons may be mounted on the outside of the inner and outer conduits which can be selectively inflated to seal off the sides surrounding vessel or to deliver cooling fluid or medication to the surrounding tissue. Using the apparatus, a method of pumping blood through the body is also disclosed.

A cardiac support device including a jacket and elastic attachment structure for self-securing the jacket to a heart. The attachment structures can include undulating metal and polymer elements, a silicone band and elastomeric filaments on a base end of the jacket.

A method for implanting a cardiac support device (CSD) on a patient's heart. An amount of contrast agent sufficient to cause structures on the heart to be visible upon fluoroscopic or other imaging is introduced into the pericardial space surrounding the heart. The heart and contrast agent are imaged to provide a visual indication of the location of the structures of the heart. The CSD is placed on the heart using the visual indications provided by the imaging.

Systems and methods for providing cardiac support provide a cannula body having an inlet and an outlet. The cannula includes a preformed bend sized and configured to extend within the heart chamber between the inlet and the outlet. The cannula is inserted through a first valve into a heart chamber and through a second valve out of the heart chamber. Blood is drawn into the cannula through the inlet and discharged from the cannula through the outlet, thereby bypassing the heart chamber.