Physiologically compatible cardiac assist device and method
First Claim
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1. A physiologically compatible cardiac assist device for cardiac assistance and use during coronary artery bypass surgery on a patient with or without cardiopulmonary bypass, said device comprising:
- a first catheter for insertion into the left or the right atrium directly or via the great veins, or into the left ventricle of the patient;
a second catheter for insertion into the aorta via the femoral or brachial artery of the patient, said catheter also capable of carrying an intra-aortic balloon for diastolic counter-pulsation;
a pump for drawing blood through said first catheter and for delivering blood through said second catheter to the aorta, said pump capable of inflating a pneumatically driven intra-aortic balloon;
a control system for monitoring the performance of the patient'"'"'s heart and for controlling operation of said pump to deliver blood and drive the intra-aortic balloon through said second catheter during only the diastolic phase of the cardiac cycle.
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Abstract
A physiologically compatible cardiac assist device, also known as a ventricular assist device, has a pump which draws blood through a first catheter inserted into either the right atrium, the left atrium or the left ventricle and infuses the blood via a second catheter into the aorta during diastole. Attached to the second catheter is a balloon which is also inflated during diastole. The synchronized volume infusion and balloon inflation in this counterpulsation mode reduces afterload and is thus more physiologically compatible.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A physiologically compatible cardiac assist device for cardiac assistance and use during coronary artery bypass surgery on a patient with or without cardiopulmonary bypass, said device comprising:
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a first catheter for insertion into the left or the right atrium directly or via the great veins, or into the left ventricle of the patient;
a second catheter for insertion into the aorta via the femoral or brachial artery of the patient, said catheter also capable of carrying an intra-aortic balloon for diastolic counter-pulsation;
a pump for drawing blood through said first catheter and for delivering blood through said second catheter to the aorta, said pump capable of inflating a pneumatically driven intra-aortic balloon;
a control system for monitoring the performance of the patient'"'"'s heart and for controlling operation of said pump to deliver blood and drive the intra-aortic balloon through said second catheter during only the diastolic phase of the cardiac cycle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of cardiac assistance to maintain blood circulation in the body of a patient during heart failure and coronary artery bypass surgery, said method comprising:
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a) inserting a first catheter into the left atrium or the femoral or internal jugular vein of the patient;
b) inserting a second catheter into a femoral artery of the patient;
c) monitoring the performance of the patient'"'"'s heart to identify the cardiac cycle thereof; and
d) drawing blood from said patient through said first catheter and returning blood to said patient through said second catheter in synchrony with the cardiac cycle of the patient such that blood is returned to the patient through said second catheter only during the diastolic phase of the cardiac cycle, flow of blood through said second catheter being terminated before the onset of the systolic phase. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of cardiac assistance to maintain blood circulation in the body of a patient during heart failure and coronary artery bypass surgery, said method comprising:
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a) inserting a first catheter into the patient'"'"'s venous system;
b) inserting into the patient'"'"'s arterial system a second catheter with an inflatable balloon attached near its distal end;
c) positioning the distal end of said second catheter such that the balloon is located in the patient'"'"'s descending thoracic aorta;
d) monitoring the patient'"'"'s heart with electrical sensors to determine the diastolic phase; and
e) pumping blood from said patient through said first catheter and infusing said blood into said patient through said second catheter and simultaneously inflating the balloon such that the infusion of blood and the inflation of the balloon are both in synchrony with the patient'"'"'s diastolic phase. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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Specification