Cardiac harness having diagnostic sensors and method of use
First Claim
1. A cardiac harness adapted to be fitted generally around at least a portion of a heart, the cardiac harness, comprising:
- at least one elastic spring member forming an annular portion that is elastically deformable from a compacted orientation having a first radial dimension to an implanted orientation having a second radial dimension larger than the first radial dimension, the annular portion in the implanted orientation being adapted to exert a circumferential load in response to continuous cardiac cycling, the circumferential load defined by a load-versus-expansion curve that remains substantially unchanged through the continuous cardiac cycling; and
at least one sensor disposed on the annular portion and configured for providing a sensor signal representative of cardiac function.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A cardiac harness adapted to fit generally around a least a portion of a heart includes at least one elastic spring member forming an annular portion that is elastically deformable and at least one sensor disposed on the annular portion for providing a sensor signal representative of cardiac function. The cardiac harness applies a compressive force on the heart during diastole and systole. The sensor is configured to take a measurement of impedance across the heart, impedance across a lung, evoked response of the heart, activation patterns of the heart, acceleration of a portion of the heart, position of a portion of the heart relative to an ultrasonic transmitter, pH on the heart'"'"'s epicardial surface, blood oxygen saturation of a portion of the heart, or position of a portion of the heart relative to a magnetic field generating device. The cardiac harness and sensor are delivered and implanted on the heart by minimally invasive access.
44 Citations
31 Claims
-
1. A cardiac harness adapted to be fitted generally around at least a portion of a heart, the cardiac harness, comprising:
-
at least one elastic spring member forming an annular portion that is elastically deformable from a compacted orientation having a first radial dimension to an implanted orientation having a second radial dimension larger than the first radial dimension, the annular portion in the implanted orientation being adapted to exert a circumferential load in response to continuous cardiac cycling, the circumferential load defined by a load-versus-expansion curve that remains substantially unchanged through the continuous cardiac cycling; and
at least one sensor disposed on the annular portion and configured for providing a sensor signal representative of cardiac function. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A cardiac harness adapted to be fitted generally around at least a portion of a heart, the cardiac harness, comprising:
-
at least one superelastic annular portion that is elastically deformable from a compacted orientation having a first radial dimension to an implanted orientation having a second radial dimension larger than the first radial dimension, the first radial dimension sized to allow the annular portion to pass through an opening between two ribs adjacent to each other; and
at least one sensor disposed on the annular portion and configured for providing a sensor signal representative of cardiac function. - View Dependent Claims (21)
-
-
22. A method, comprising:
-
forming an annular portion with at least one elastic spring member and at least one sensor, the annular portion being elastically deformable from a compacted configuration having a first radial dimension to an implanted orientation having a second radial dimension greater than the first radial dimension, the at least one sensor configured for providing sensor signals representative of cardiac function;
applying a circumferential load from the annular portion in response to continuous cardiac cycling, the circumferential load defined by a load-versus-expansion curve that remains substantially unchanged through the continuous cardiac cycling; and
obtaining a sensor signal representative of cardiac function from the at least one sensor on the annular portion. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
-
Specification