IMPLANTABLE LINEAR MOTOR PROSTHETIC HEART AND CONTROL SYSTEM THEREFOR

• US 3,842,440 A
• Filed: 09/01/1972
• Issued: 10/22/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eskil L. Karlson
• Original Assignee: Eskil L. Karlson
• Inventors: Karlson, Eskil L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaudet, Richard A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Frinks, Ronald L.
• Application Number:
  US05/285,749
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 3/1,DIG.2 128/1D,1R,DIG.3,419R,419D,419B 417/412
• US Class Current: 623/3.19
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/126 implantable via, into, inside, in line, branching on, or around a blood vessel
• 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 60/268 the displacement member being flexible, e.g. membranes, diaphragms or bladders
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/457 the force acting on the blood contacting member being magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/531 using blood pressure data, e.g. from blood pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/876 Implantable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/878 Electrical connections within the patient's body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/896 having flexible or resilient parts, e.g. flap valves

Abstract

Linear drive pump and control means provide pulses of fluid of desired wave form into one or two conduits. The wave forms in two conduits may be the same or different, and controlled if desired by preprogrammed means. If employed as a half or whole heart sensing means disposed within the circulatory system or the artificial heart may be used to provide data for modifying preprogrammed data and scanning and monitoring means and means for recharging a power source implanted in a body may be provided.

Claims

1. A prosthetic heart adapted to be implanted within the body of a human being or other animal, and a system for operating it, comprising, a single collapsible chamber, having inlet and outlet ports, adapted to be connected respectively to a vein and an artery, means for opening the chamber to receive fluid from a vein to which it is adapted to be connected, means for closing the chamber and expelling pulses of fluid from it into an artery to which it is adapted to be connected, means for controlling the expelling means so as to provide in the artery predetermined changes in pulse pressure, amplitude and frequency, a source of electric power adapted to be disposed within the body, and circuitry for connecting it to the prosthetic heart for operating it, a source of electric power to be located outside the body, and circuitry including, leads adapted to be implanted within the body, and connected to said source of power to be located within the body, leads connected to the source of power outside the body, and separable contact members connected to said leads respectively and adapted when physically brought together to connect the source of electric power outside the body directly to the source of electric power to be implanted within the body, to recharge the latter from the former, said separable contact members including at least a first set of contact members adapted to be disposed on teeth of the body, and another set of contact members are sized and shaped for mounting on teeth of the body adapted to carry said first set of contacts, and the said leads adapted to be implanted within the body are adapted to extend from said first set of contacts through the root canals of the teeth intended to carry said contacts, and the other set of contacts are connected to the said leads which are disposed outside the body and extend to the said source of power outside the body.

2. The device claimed in claim 1 in which one set of said contact members are adapted for mounting on teeth of the body and are connected by leads which extend to scanning means disposed outside the body.

3. The device claimed in claim 1 including a mouth piece adapted to fit over contact means adapted for mounting on teeth of the body and having conductive means adapted to engage the contact means with means disposed outside the body.

4. A prosthetic heart adapted to be implanted within the body of a human being or other animal and the system for operating it which comprises, a single housing having therein two fluid chambers, separate movable piston-like members having heads connected to the walls of the chambers respectively, and separate coils mounted on said piston-like members respectively, a magnetic field in which each of said coils is disposed, and power and control means for energizing said coils and alternating their polarity separately, whereby the piston-like members are separately reciprocated and the force, amplitude and frequency of the strokes of said piston-like members may be the same or different, and the strokes of each of said piston-Like member may be varied individually.

5. The apparatus claimed in claim 4 including a source of electric power adapted to be implanted within the body, circuitry for connecting the said source of power to said coils respectively, for implanting within the body, a source of electric power to be located outside the body, and circuitry including, leads adapted to be implanted within the body, and connected to the source of power to be located within the body, leads connected to the source of power outside the body and separable contact members connected to said leads respectively and adapted when physically brought together to connect the source of electric power outside the body directly to the source of electric power to be implanted within the body, to recharge the latter from the former.

6. The apparatus claimed in claim 4 in which the control means includes, program control means, pressure detector means and power amplifier means, all disposed within said prosthetic heart.

7. The apparatus claimed in claim 4 in which each piston-like member comprises a rod portion and a head portion, the rod portions extend in opposite directions and are concentrically disposed, one of said coils is supported around the rod portion of one of said piston-like members, and the head portion of the other of said piston-like members is cup-shaped and the other of said coils is mounted around the rim of said cup-shaped head portion.