Remote Cannulation Apparatus for Minimally Invasive Heart Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for installing heart assist or replacement devices require invasive procedures, leading to risks of air emboli and excessive blood loss, necessitating cardiovascular bypass and prolonged recovery times.
Innovation Solution
A remote cannulation apparatus and method that allows for rapid, minimally invasive coring and cannulation of the heart using a closed cannulation assembly with an isolation valve and coring assembly, reducing the risk of air emboli and blood loss by enabling the installation of heart assist or replacement devices without direct surgical access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional open-heart surgery is used to install heart assist devices, then the device can be properly installed, but the patient experiences excessive blood loss, high risk of air emboli, and prolonged recovery time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cannulation assembly as an intermediary device that provides a sealed access pathway to the heart. This assembly includes a cannula inserted through the heart wall, connected to a pump system, allowing blood to be diverted through an external circuit. The cannulation assembly acts as a mediator between the external pump device and the internal heart structures, enabling device installation without traditional open-heart surgery and reducing blood loss and air emboli risk through its sealed design
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs hydraulic principles by using fluid pressure to control blood flow through the cannulation assembly. The system uses pressure differentials to direct blood flow from the heart through the cannula and external pump, and back into the circulatory system. This hydraulic control mechanism allows for precise management of blood flow without requiring open surgical access, thereby reducing complications associated with traditional surgery
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional surgical access methods are used, then the heart can be accessed for device installation, but the procedure requires cardiovascular bypass and extended recovery time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the heart assist system into separate modular components: an external pump device, a cannulation assembly with cannula, and connection interfaces. This segmentation allows the pump to be installed externally without requiring open-heart surgery or cardiovascular bypass. The modular design enables simpler, less invasive implantation procedures and reduces recovery time while maintaining ease of device installation through standardized connection mechanisms
3Object-affected harmful factors
If minimally invasive remote cannulation is used, then blood loss and air emboli risk are reduced, but the procedure requires specialized apparatus and techniques
Solution Approach 1:
The cannulation assembly is designed as a multi-functional device that combines several functions into a single integrated system: it provides sealed access to the heart, serves as a conduit for blood flow, connects to the external pump, and prevents air emboli through its sealed design. This universal design reduces the need for multiple separate devices and specialized techniques, simplifying the overall procedure while maintaining safety benefits of minimally invasive access
Data Source
AI summary
A remote cannulation assembly is disclosed for rapidly cannulating a body part such as a heart during a medical procedure. Cannulation is often conducted in procedures such as the installation of a ventricular assist device. The cannulation assembly of the invention utilizes an isolation valve to create a sealed fluid environment for the procedure. The invention further includes a coring assembly that may be used with the cannulation apparatus. Methods of cannulating a heart or other body part are also disclosed in which the risk of emboli is reduced. Additionally, methods of connecting and disconnecting two fluid conducting elements are disclosed.