Muscle and air powered LVAD
First Claim
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1. A method for providing ventricular assist to a patient with a weak or nonfunctional heart, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) attaching an artificial ventricle to the patient in a ventricular assist location;
b) pumping the artificial ventricle with a muscle powered pump which supplies a fluid as a driving force to pump blood from the artificial ventricle to the patient;
c) amplifying pumping pressure of the muscle powered pump by(i) directing the driving force onto a first pumping member having a contacting side of larger dimension; and
(ii) directing said contacting side of said first pumping member against a contacting side of smaller dimension of a second pumping member without directing said first pumping member against any other pressure-resistant member to thereby transfer the driving force as increased pressure onto said second pumping member.
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Abstract
A method for providing ventricular assist to a patient with a weak or nonfunctional heart includes attaching an artificial ventricle to a patient and pumping said artificial ventricle with a muscle powered hydraulic pump. This method is enhanced by supplementing said artificial ventricle as needed with a pneumatic pumping system which is hermetically sealed from the hydraulic fluid. The hydraulic pumping power is amplified by driving a first pumping member of larger dimension against a second pumping member of smaller dimension to thereby supply increased force to overcome existing blood pressure.
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Citations
6 Claims
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1. A method for providing ventricular assist to a patient with a weak or nonfunctional heart, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) attaching an artificial ventricle to the patient in a ventricular assist location; b) pumping the artificial ventricle with a muscle powered pump which supplies a fluid as a driving force to pump blood from the artificial ventricle to the patient; c) amplifying pumping pressure of the muscle powered pump by (i) directing the driving force onto a first pumping member having a contacting side of larger dimension; and (ii) directing said contacting side of said first pumping member against a contacting side of smaller dimension of a second pumping member without directing said first pumping member against any other pressure-resistant member to thereby transfer the driving force as increased pressure onto said second pumping member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for providing ventricular assist to a patient with a weak or nonfunctional heart, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) attaching an artificial ventricle to the patient in a ventricular assist location; b) pumping the artificial ventricle with a muscle powered pump which supplies a liquid actuated driving force to pump blood from the artificial ventricle to the patient; and c) supplementing the artificial ventricle as needed with a pneumatic pumping system sealed from the liquid that operates with respect to the same ventricle; wherein step (b) further comprises directing the driving force to one side of a pumping member having opposing sides, and wherein step (c) further comprises applying a pneumatic pumping force to a side of said pumping member opposite said one side.
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6. A method for providing ventricular assist to a patient with a weak or nonfunctional heart, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) attaching an artificial ventricle to the patient in a ventricular assist location; b) pumping the artificial ventricle with a muscle powered pump which supplies a liquid actuated driving force to pump blood from the artificial ventricle to the patient; and c) supplementing the artificial ventricle as needed with a pneumatic pumping system sealed from the liquid that operates with respect to the same ventricle; wherein step (c) further comprises pumping the pneumatic pumping system in counterpulsation to the liquid actuated driving force.
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Specification