Heart Assist Device Utilising Aortic Deformation

• US 20080167515A1
• Filed: 03/07/2008
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nuwellis, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sunshine Heart Company Pty, Ltd. (Nuwellis, Inc.)
• Inventors: Watterson, Peter Andrew, Peters, William Suttle, Miller, Scott Hugh
• Granted Patent: US 8,777,833 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/18
• 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 60/161 mechanically acting upon the outside of the patient's blood vessel structure, e.g. compressive structures placed around a vessel
• 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 60/289 Devices for mechanical circulatory actuation assisting the residual heart function by means mechanically acting upon the patient's native heart or blood vessel structure, e.g. direct cardiac compression [DCC] devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/468 the force acting on the actuation means being hydraulic or pneumatic
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/569 synchronous with the native heart beat
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/869 Compliance chambers containing a gas or liquid other than blood to compensate volume variations of a blood chamber

Abstract

The present invention relates to providing counter-pulsation heart assist by deforming the aorta. In a preferred embodiment, the deformation pressure is applied by cyclically, preferably in synchrony with the diastolic period of the heart. The deformation pressure may be applied to the outer wall of the aorta or to a patch covering a resected opening in the wall of the aorta.

Claims

1. In a heart assist device adapted to apply a counter-pulsation force to a patch inserted into at least the radially outer arc of the ascending aorta the force being applied to the radially outer arc of the aorta to cause the patch to invaginate, the device being characterised in that it includes deformation means for the application of the pressure to the patch which deformation means has, when the patch is fully invaginated, a shape which is substantially a mirror image of the section of the patch which has been invaginated before it was so invaginated.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the deformation of the artery is induced by a balloon.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the deformation of the artery is be induced by a rigid object.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the deformation of the vessel does not extend around more than 180 degrees of the circumference of the vessel.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the deformation of the vessel does not extend around more than 160 degrees of the circumference of the vessel.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the deformation of the vessel does not extend around more than 140 degrees of the circumference of the vessel.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the deformation of the vessel extends around between about 100 and about 140 degrees of the circumference of the vessel.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a section of the arterial wall is resected and a patch applied which substantially replicates the shape of the native artery and the deformational force is applied to the outside surface of that patch.

9. The device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the patch is applied to the radially outer arc of the ascending aorta and has a shape similar to the section of the ascending aorta which has been removed.

10. A method for improving cardiac performance in a subject, the method including the steps of:

implanting a device in accordance with claim 1, fully within the thoracic cavity of a subject;

actuating the motive means to periodically introduce the fluid into the space in synchrony with the diastolic period to reduce the interior volume of the aorta; and

alternating the period of actuation with periods of deactivation of the motive means to periodically withdraw the fluid from the space in synchrony with the commencement of the systolic period, thereby allowing the portion of the aorta adjacent the device to return to normal interior volume.