Implantable heart assist system and method of applying same

• US 20060270892A1
• Filed: 05/03/2006
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TC1 LLC (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: Thoratec LLC
• Inventors: Bolling, Steven F., Viole, Anthony, O'Leary, Shawn
• Granted Patent: US 7,591,778 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3621 Extra-corporeal blood circuits single-needle circuits A61M1/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3623 Means for actively controlling temperature of blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3653 Interfaces between patient blood circulation and extra-corporal blood circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3655 Arterio-venous shunts or fistulae
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3659 Cannulae pertaining to extracorporeal circulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/04 Heartbeat characteristics, e.g. ECG, blood pressure modulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0026 Multi-lumen catheters with stationary elements catheter assemblies comprising a catheter in combination with a guide tube, sheath or sleeve A61M2025/0681; catheters comprising telescoping coaxial elements A61M2025/0175
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/003 characterized by features relating to least one lumen located at the distal part of the catheter, e.g. filters, plugs or valves catheter tips A61M25/0067
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/007 Side holes, e.g. their profiles or arrangements; Provisions to keep side holes unblocked
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/117 for assisting the heart, e.g. transcutaneous or external ventricular assist devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/148 in line with a blood vessel using resection or like techniques, e.g. permanent endovascular heart assist devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/152 branching on and drawing blood from a blood vessel
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/178 drawing blood from a ventricle and returning the blood to the arterial system via a cannula external to the ventricle, e.g. left or right ventricular assist devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/232 Centrifugal pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/237 the blood flow through the rotating member having mainly axial components, e.g. axial flow pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/274 the inlet and outlet being the same, e.g. para-aortic counter-pulsation blood pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/414 transmitted by a rotating cable, e.g. for blood pumps mounted on a catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/569 synchronous with the native heart beat
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/859 Connections therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/861 Connections or anchorings for connecting or anchoring pumps or pumping devices to parts of the patient's body

Abstract

An extracardiac pumping for supplementing the circulation of blood, including the cardiac output, in a patient without any component thereof being connected to the patient'"'"'s heart, and methods of using same. One embodiment provides a vascular graft that has a first end that is sized and configured to couple to a non-primary blood vessel and a second end that is fluidly coupled to a pump to conduct blood between the pump and the non-primary blood vessel. An outflow conduit is also provided that has a first end sized and configured to be positioned within the same or different blood vessel, whether primary or non-primary, through the vascular graft. The outflow conduit is fluidly coupled to the pump to conduct blood between the pump and the patient. The vascular graft may be connected to the blood vessel subcutaneously to permit application of the extracardiac pumping system in a minimally-invasive procedure.

Claims

1. An extracardiac pumping system for supplementing blood circulation in a patient without any component thereof being connected to the patient'"'"'s heart, the extracardiac system comprising:

a pump configured to pump blood through the patient at subcardiac flow rates, said pump having an average flow rate that, during normal operation thereof, is substantially below that of the patient'"'"'s heart when healthy;

a first conduit to conduct between the pump and a first blood vessel that branches off from a blood vessel directly connected to the heart, the first conduit comprising a distal portion configured to be coupled with the first blood vessel, the distal portion comprising a synthetic biocompatible material, and a proximal portion configured to be connected to the pump, the proximal portion comprising said synthetic biocompatible material; and

a second conduit fluidly coupled to the pump to conduct blood between the pump and a second blood vessel that branches off from a blood vessel directly connected to the heart, the second conduit having a first end sized and configured to couple with the second blood vessel.

2. The extracardiac pumping system for supplementing blood circulation of claim 1, wherein the synthetic biocompatible material comprises a polyester textile fiber.

3. The extracardiac pumping system of claim 1, wherein the first conduit further comprises a biologic material.

4. The extracardiac pumping system of claim 3, wherein the synthetic material comprises a synthetic scaffold.

5. The extracardiac pumping system of claim 1, wherein the first conduit is configured to minimize kinks during normal post-operative motion of the patient.

6. The extracardiac pumping system of claim 1, wherein the first conduit is configured to substantially prevent interruption of bloodflow therein by normal postoperative movements of the patient.

7. The extracardiac pumping system of claim 1, wherein the first conduit is configured to substantially resist compression of a lumen formed therein when external forces are applied.

8. The extracardiac pumping system of claim 1, wherein the first conduit and the pump are of a unitary construction.

9. The extracardiac pumping system of claim 1, wherein the inner diameter of the first conduit is less than 25 mm.

10. An extracardiac pumping system for supplementing blood circulation through a patient experiencing congestive heart failure without any component thereof being connected to the patient'"'"'s heart, the extracardiac system comprising:

a pump configured to pump blood through the patient at subcardiac flow rates;

an inflow conduit fluidly coupled to the pump to direct blood to the pump from the vasculature, the inflow conduit having a first end configured to enable fluid communication between the inflow conduit and the vasculature via a first blood vessel that is not a primary blood vessel; and

an outflow conduit fluidly coupled to the pump to direct blood from the pump to the vasculature, the outflow conduit having a first end configured to enable fluid communication between the inflow conduit and the vasculature via a second blood vessel that is not a primary blood vessel;

wherein the pump, inflow conduit and outflow conduit are sized and configured to be implantable using a minimally-invasive surgical procedure, and whereby fluid communication between the first ends of the inflow and outflow conduits and the vasculature may be made subcutaneously to permit application of the connections in an minimally-invasive procedure.