Systems and Methods for Treating Pulmonary Edema

• US 20150343186A1
• Filed: 06/01/2015
• Published: 12/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: White Swell Medical, Ltd. (WhiteSwell Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: White Swell Medical, Ltd. (WhiteSwell Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nitzan, Yaacov, Yacoby, Menashe, Feld, Tanhum
• Granted Patent: US 10,300,254 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/34 Filtering material out of the blood by passing it through a membrane, i.e. hemofiltration or diafiltration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3639 Blood pressure control, pressure transducers specially adapted therefor
• 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 2025/0002 with a pressure sensor at the distal end
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1015 having two or more independently movable balloons where the distance between the balloons can be adjusted, e.g. two balloon catheters concentric to each other forming an adjustable multiple balloon catheter system
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1052 for temporarily occluding a vessel for isolating a sector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0405 Lymph
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/10 with powered movement mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3331 Pressure; Flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3334 Measuring or controlling the flow rate
• 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 25/1011 Multiple balloon catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 27/002 Implant devices for drainage of body fluids from one part of the body to another intraocular A61F9/00781; middle ear A61F11/202

Abstract

Various systems and methods are provided for treating pulmonary edema. In general, a pump can be configured to be implanted within a patient at risk of developing edema. The pump can be configured to pump fluid out of the patient'"'"'s lungs, e.g., out of the patient'"'"'s interstitial and alveolar spaces. The pump can be configured to be fully implanted within the patient'"'"'s body. The pump can be configured to continuously pump fluid, or the pump can be configured to be selectively actuatable in response to a trigger event. In an exemplary embodiment, the pump can include an inflow port coupled to an inflow tube in fluid communication with a lymphatic vessel of the patient, and can include an outflow port coupled to an outflow tube in fluid communication with a vein of the patient.

Claims

1. A system for treatment of edema, comprising:

a pump configured to be implanted in a body of a patient;

an inflow tube fluidically coupled to an inflow port of the pump and configured to be implanted into the body of the patient so as to bring the inflow port into fluid communication with a lymphatic vessel of the patient; and

an outflow tube fluidically coupled to an outflow port of the pump and configured to be implanted into the body of the patient so as to bring the outflow port into fluid communication with a vein in the body of the patient such that the pump is operative to pump fluid from the lymphatic vessel to the vein.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to actuate the pump.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to actuate the pump in response to user operation of a control external to the body of the patient.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising a pressure sensor configured to be implanted in the body of the patient, the controller being configured to actuate the pump in response to a pressure measured by the pressure sensor exceeding a predefined threshold.

5. The system of claim 2, further comprising a pressure sensor configured to be implanted in the body of the patient, the controller being configured to control a speed of operation of the pump depending on a pressure measured by the pressure sensor.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the pump is configured to continuously pump the fluid from the lymphatic vessel to the vein.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a power source configured to be implanted in the body of the patient and configured to provide power to the pump.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a charging coil configured to inductively couple to a power source external to the body of the patient and thereby provide power to the pump.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the pump includes a pulsatile pump.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the pump is configured to pump fluid at a rate in a range of about 10 to 1000 ml/hour.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the pump is configured to pump fluid at a rate in a range of about 10 to 200 ml/hour.

12. A method of treating edema, comprising:

implanting a pump in a body of a patient, the pump being operable to convey a bodily fluid from an inflow port of the pump to an outflow port of the pump;

arranging a first tube in fluid communication with the inflow port to be in fluid communication with a lymphatic vessel of the patient; and

arranging a second tube in fluid communication with the outflow port to be in fluid communication with a vein of the patient such that the pump is operable to convey fluid from the lymphatic vessel to the vein.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising actuating the pump, thereby causing the pump to convey the fluid from the lymphatic vessel to the vein of the patient, the fluid including lymph.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the actuated pump maintains an outflow pressure in a range of about 2 to 6 mmHg.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the pump is actuated in response to user operation of a control external to the body of the patient.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the pump is configured to be actuated periodically or continuously.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the lymphatic vessel includes one of a thoracic duct of the patient and a lymphatic duct of the patient.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the vein includes one of the patient'"'"'s subclavian vein, internal jugular vein, innominate vein, and superior vena cava.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising implanting a pressure sensor in a location within the body of the patient that enables the pressure sensor to measure pressure in a desired region of the body of the patient.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising measuring the pressure in the desired region using the pressure sensor, and actuating the pump in response to the measured pressure exceeding a predefined threshold.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising measuring the pressure in the desired region using the pressure sensor, and controlling a speed of operation of the pump depending on the measured pressure.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the pump is implanted adjacent to one of a junction of the patient'"'"'s left subclavian vein and internal jugular vein and a junction of the patient'"'"'s right subclavian vein and internal jugular vein.