Method and apparatus for direct mechanical ventricular actuation with favorable conditioning and minimal heart stress
First Claim
1. A process for assisting in a body the function of a heart, comprising the step of remodeling said heart to render said heart in an improved state.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A process for assisting the function of a heart disposed within a body, comprising the steps of supporting the heart in providing circulation of blood for perfusion of an organ in the body, remodeling the heart to render the heart in an improved state, and stabilizing the heart in the improved state. The process is preferably performed with an apparatus comprising a cup-shaped shell having an exterior surface and an interior surface; a liner having an outer surface, an upper edge joined to said interior surface of said cup-shaped shell, and a lower edge joined of said interior surface of said cup-shaped shell, thereby forming a cavity between said outer surface thereof and said interior surface of said shell; a drive fluid cyclically interposed within said cavity; and at least one sensor measuring at least one macroscopic parameter indicative of said function of said heart. Further embodiments of the process and apparatus include means and use thereof for delivering a therapeutic agent to the heart.
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Citations
113 Claims
- 1. A process for assisting in a body the function of a heart, comprising the step of remodeling said heart to render said heart in an improved state.
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19. The process as recited in claim 19, wherein said at least one therapeutic agent is a matrix metallo-proteinase system promoter.
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27. A process for assisting in a body the function of a heart, comprising the steps of remodeling said heart to render said heart in an improved state, and stabilizing said heart in said improved state to maintain said improved state.
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28. A process for assisting in a body the function of a heart, comprising the steps of supporting said heart in providing circulation of blood for perfusion of an organ in said body, and remodeling said heart to render said heart in an improved state.
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29. A process for assisting in a body the function of a heart, comprising the steps of supporting said heart in providing circulation of blood for perfusion of an organ in said body, remodeling said heart to render said heart in an improved state, and stabilizing said heart in said improved state to maintain said improved state.
- 30. A process for assisting in a body the function of a heart, comprising the step of inducing in said heart a change in the extracellular matrix of said heart, wherein said extracellular matrix is changed from an ordered state to a relaxed state.
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34. A process for assisting in a body the function of a heart, comprising the steps of inducing in said heart a change in the extracellular matrix of said heart, wherein said extracellular matrix is changed from an ordered state to a relaxed state;
- and causing reverse remodeling of said heart to render said heart in an improved state.
- View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. A process for assisting in a body the function of a heart, comprising the steps of inducing in said heart a change in the extracellular matrix of said heart, wherein said extracellular matrix is changed from an ordered state to a relaxed state;
- and inducing in said heart a reversal of said change in said extracellular matrix of said heart, wherein said extracellular matrix is changed from said relaxed state to said ordered state.
- View Dependent Claims (59, 60)
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61. A process for assisting in a body the function of a heart, comprising the steps of inducing in said heart a change in the extracellular matrix of said heart, wherein said extracellular matrix is changed from an ordered state to a relaxed state;
- causing reverse remodeling of said heart to render said heart in an improved state; and
inducing in said heart a reversal of said change in said extracellular matrix of said heart, wherein said extracellular matrix is changed from said relaxed state to said ordered state. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64)
- causing reverse remodeling of said heart to render said heart in an improved state; and
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65. A process for assisting in a body the function of a heart using a ventricular assistance device, said process comprising the steps of:
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a. sensing a parameter indicative of the onset of systole in the cardiac cycle;
b. initiating and providing systolic assistance by said ventricular assistance device to said heart after sensing said parameter indicative of said onset of systole;
c. repeating said step of sensing said parameter indicative of said onset of systole and said initiating systolic assistance by said ventricular assistance device for at least two cardiac cycles;
d. sensing a parameter indicative of the function of said heart; and
e. analyzing said parameter indicative of said function of said heart. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92)
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93. An apparatus for assisting in a body the function of a heart the function of a heart, said apparatus comprising:
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a. a cup-shaped shell having an exterior surface and an interior surface;
b. a liner having an outer surface, an upper edge joined to said interior surface of said cup-shaped shell, and a lower edge joined of said interior surface of said cup-shaped shell, thereby forming a cavity between said outer surface thereof and said interior surface of said shell;
c. a drive fluid cyclically interposed within said cavity; and
d. at least one sensor measuring at least one macroscopic parameter indicative of said function of said heart. - View Dependent Claims (94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111)
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112. An apparatus for assisting in a body the function of a heart the function of a heart, said apparatus comprising:
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a. a cup-shaped shell having an exterior surface and an interior surface;
b. a liner having an outer surface, an upper edge joined to said interior surface of said cup-shaped shell, and a lower edge joined of said interior surface of said cup-shaped shell, thereby forming a cavity between said outer surface thereof and said interior surface of said shell;
c. a drive fluid cyclically interposed within said cavity;
d. at least one sensor measuring at least one cellular level parameter indicative of said function of said heart. - View Dependent Claims (113)
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Specification