Fully Implantable Cardiac Compression Device Infection Risk
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current heart assist devices with external drive lines pose a risk of infection and are problematic due to changing volume, which complicates their implantation and long-term use, especially for patients requiring permanent support.
Innovation Solution
A fully implantable cardiac compression device with an inflatable jacket and expandable fluid reservoir, where a fluid driver inflates the jacket during systole and deflates it during diastole, minimizing the risk of infection and tissue compression.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If an external drive line is used to operate the cardiac compression device, then the device can be operated externally, but the risk of infection increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the external drive line from the system by integrating the driver entirely within the patient's body. The driver is implanted in the abdominal cavity or another suitable location, eliminating the need for external connections and thereby eliminating the infection risk associated with external drive lines while maintaining full operational capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nested configuration where the cardiac compression jacket is positioned around the heart, the fluid reservoir is placed in the abdominal cavity, and the driver is implanted within the patient's body. This nested arrangement allows all components to work together internally without external connections, resolving the contradiction between external operability and infection risk.
2Productivity
If the drive system volume changes during operation, then the device can provide compression assistance, but the changing volume makes implantation problematic due to periodic compression of surrounding tissues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the volume change problem from the implant site by placing the fluid reservoir in the abdominal cavity rather than near the heart. The reservoir can expand and contract freely in the abdominal space without compressing cardiac or surrounding tissues, while the compression jacket near the heart maintains a relatively constant volume to avoid tissue compression issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the drive system into two separate components: a compression jacket around the heart and a fluid reservoir in the abdominal cavity. This segmentation allows each component to perform its function independently - the jacket provides compression assistance while the reservoir accommodates volume changes without affecting surrounding tissues.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a fully implantable driver is used, then the infection risk is minimized, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the driver, fluid reservoir, and compression jacket into a single integrated implantable system. The driver is positioned to directly control fluid transfer between the reservoir and compression jacket through integrated fluid pathways, eliminating the need for separate external control systems and reducing overall system complexity despite the fully implantable configuration.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device provides effective cardiac assistance by minimizing infection risk and tissue compression, allowing for both systolic and diastolic support with a single design, reducing the need for anticoagulation and minimizing blood trauma, clotting, and sepsis risks, while being suitable for combination with other therapies.
Implementation Method 1
a fluid driver operably connected to the inflatable cardiac compression jacket and to the expandable fluid reservoir, wherein the fluid driver is configured to inflate the cardiac compression jacket and to deflate the expandable fluid reservoir during systole of the heart
Implementation Method 2
an inflatable cardiac compression jacket configured when inflated to directly compress a heart and assist in displacing blood therefrom
Implementation Method 3
an expandable fluid reservoir configured to contain a fluid when displaced from the inflatable cardiac compression jacket
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides an implantable cardiac compression device comprising: an inflatable cardiac compression jacket configured when inflated to directly compress a heart and assist in displacing blood therefrom, a channel that connects the inflatable cardiac compression jacket and an expandable fluid reservoir configured to contain a fluid when displaced compresses the inflatable cardiac compression jacket, and a fluid driver operably connected to the inflatable cardiac compression jacket and to the expandable fluid reservoir, wherein the fluid driver is configured to inflate the cardiac compression jacket and to deflate the expandable fluid reservoir during systole of the heart; said driver is further configured to deflate the cardiac compression jacket and to inflate the expandable fluid reservoir during diastole of the heart.