BI-VENTRICULAR PERCUTANEOUS CABLE

• US 20110298304A1
• Filed: 06/07/2011
• Published: 12/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TC1 LLC (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Thoratec LLC
• Inventors: Cotter, Christopher James
• Granted Patent: US 8,388,384 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/147
• 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 60/178 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 60/88 Percutaneous cables
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5224 for medical use
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/622 Screw-ring or screw-casing H01R13/623 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/12 for medicine and surgery
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/02 Intermediate parts for distributing energy to two or more circuits in parallel, e.g. splitter with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/92

Abstract

A percutaneous cable includes a cable body having a first end and second end, the cable body including a sheath adapted to traverse a patient'"'"'s skin. The cable includes a plurality of conductors disposed within the cable body configured to transmit power and control data between a system controller and two implantable pumps. The cable includes a first connector disposed at the first end of the cable body and coupled to the plurality of conductors, the first connector configured to connect the cable body to the system controller. The cable includes a second connector disposed at the second end of the cable body, the second connector comprising a first set of contacts and a second set of contacts.

Claims

1. A percutaneous cable comprising:

a cable body having a first end and second end, the cable body comprising a sheath adapted to traverse a patient'"'"'s skin;

a plurality of conductors disposed within the cable body configured to transmit power and control data between a system controller and two implantable pumps;

a first connector disposed at the first end of the cable body and coupled to the plurality of conductors, the first connector configured to connect the cable body to the system controller; and

a second connector disposed at the second end of the cable body, the second connector comprising;

a first set of contacts and a second set of contacts, the first set of contacts coupled to a first portion of the plurality of conductors and adapted to electrically connect the first portion of the plurality of conductors to a first of the two implantable pumps and the second set of contacts coupled to a second portion of the plurality of conductors and adapted to electrically connect the second portion of the plurality of conductors to a second of the two implantable pumps,

a first end having an inner surface, the inner surface of the first end being configured to interact with respective sealing members of a first pump cable when the first pump cable is coupled to the first end of the second connector, and

a second end having an inner surface, the inner surface of the second end being configured to interact with respective sealing members of a second pump cable when the second pump cable is coupled to the second end of the second connector.

2. The cable of claim 1, wherein the second connector is made from a biocompatible material and is implantable beneath the skin.

3. The cable of claim 1, wherein the first end of the second connector comprises a threaded outer surface that is configured to mate with an inner threaded surface of a first screw ring surrounding at least a part of the first pump cable, and wherein the second end of the second connector comprises a threaded outer surface that is configured to mate with an inner threaded surface of a second screw ring surrounding at least a part of the second pump cable.

4. The cable of claim 1, wherein the sealing members comprise o-rings.

5. The cable of claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the first end comprises two portions having different diameters, and the inner surface of the second end comprises two portions having different diameters.

6. The cable of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the plurality of conductors are hard wired to the first set of contacts and the first set of contacts comprises a plurality of receptacles configured to receive mating pins of a first pump cable when the first pump cable is coupled to the first end of the second connector, and wherein the second portion of the plurality of conductors are hard wired to the second set of contacts and the second set of contacts comprises a plurality of receptacles configured to receive mating pins of a second pump cable when the second pump cable is coupled to the second end of the second connector.

7. The cable of claim 1, wherein the second connector further comprises:

a first end having a threaded outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface of the first end being configured to interact with respective sealing members of a first pump cable when the first pump cable is coupled to the first end of the second connector; and

a second end coupled to a second pump cable.

8. An implantable connector comprising:

a housing made from a biocompatible material, the housing comprising;

a first connector having a threaded outer surface and an inner surface having a first diameter and a second diameter less than the first diameter, the inner surface of the first connector configured to interact with respective sealing members of a percutaneous cable when the percutaneous cable is coupled to the first connector, the percutaneous cable comprising a first set of conductors for transmitting power and control data between a controller and two implantable pumps;

a second connector having a threaded outer surface and an inner surface having a first diameter and a second diameter less than the first diameter, the inner surface of the second connector configured to interact with respective sealing members of a first pump cable when the first pump cable is coupled to the second connector, the first pump cable comprising a second set of conductors for transmitting power and control data between the controller and a first of the two implantable pumps;

a third connector having a threaded outer surface and an inner surface having a first diameter and a second diameter less than the first diameter, the inner surface of the third connector configured to interact with respective sealing members of a second pump cable when the second pump cable is coupled to the third connector, the second pump cable comprising a third set of conductors for transmitting power and control data between the controller and a second of the two implantable pumps;

a first contact block disposed within the first connector, the first contact block comprising a plurality of electrical contacts that are configured to connect to the first set of conductors in the percutaneous cable when the percutaneous cable is coupled to the first connector;

a second contact block disposed within the second connector, the second contact block comprising a plurality of electrical contacts that are connected to a first portion of the contacts of the first contact block and are configured to connect to the second set of conductors in the first pump cable when the first pump cable is coupled to the second connector; and

a third contact block disposed within the third connector, the third contact block comprising a plurality of electrical contacts that are connected to a second portion of the contacts of the first contact block and are configured to connect to the third set of conductors in the second pump cable when the second pump cable is coupled to the third connector.

9. The connector of claim 8, wherein the threaded outer surface of the first connector is configured to mate with an inner threaded surface of a first screw ring surrounding at least a part of the percutaneous cable, the threaded outer surface of the second connector is configured to mate with an inner threaded surface of a second screw ring surrounding at least a part of the first pump cable, and the threaded outer surface of the first connector is configured to mate with an inner threaded surface of a third screw ring surrounding at least a part of the second pump cable.

10. The connector of claim 8, wherein the electrical contacts of the second contact block are hard wired to the first portion of the contacts of the first contact block and the electrical contacts of the third contact block are hard wired to the second portion of the contacts of the first contact block.

11. The connector of claim 8, wherein the first, second, and third contact blocks each comprise a plurality of receptacles configured to receive mating pins of the percutaneous cable, first pump cable, and second pump cable, respectively.

12. A method comprising:

transmitting power and control data from a controller through a plurality of conductors of a percutaneous cable;

bifurcating the power and control data from the plurality of conductors of the percutaneous cable onto a first set of conductors and a second set of conductors via a connector implanted with a body;

transmitting power and control data through the first set of conductors to a first pump cable connected to a first of two implanted ventricular assist pumps; and

transmitting power and control data through the second set of conductors to a second pump cable connected to a second of the two implantable ventricular assist pumps.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the percutaneous cable comprises a biocompatible sheath that is adapted to traverse skin.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the percutaneous cable traverses skin and is releasably connected to the connector implanted within the body.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein one of the first and second pump cables is releasably connected to the connector and the other of the first and second pump cables is permanently connected to the connector.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising coupling a second connector between the percutaneous cable and the controller.