Flow adjustable artery shunt
First Claim
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1. A method for treating a congenital heart defect, comprising the steps of:
- a) implanting a shunt within a patient'"'"'s chest cavity for communicating arterial blood to a pulmonary artery;
b) providing an adjustable flow restriction within said shunt for adjusting the blood flow rate in said shunt;
c) adjusting said flow restriction to maintain the oxygen level in said blood within desired limits.
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for treating congenital heart defects, such as cyanotic heart defects which includes a shunt implanted within a patient'"'"'s cavity for communicating blood from the patient'"'"'s arterial system to the patient'"'"'s pulmonary system. An adjustable flow restrictor forms part of the shunt and is operative to adjust the effect of cross-section of the shunt thereby varying the blood flow rate in the shunt. An oximeter monitors the oxygen saturation levels in the blood and in cooperation with a restrictor control varies inflation of the bladder to maintain an oxygen saturation level in the blood between predetermined limits.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method for treating a congenital heart defect, comprising the steps of:
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a) implanting a shunt within a patient'"'"'s chest cavity for communicating arterial blood to a pulmonary artery; b) providing an adjustable flow restriction within said shunt for adjusting the blood flow rate in said shunt; c) adjusting said flow restriction to maintain the oxygen level in said blood within desired limits. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An apparatus for treating congenital heart defects, comprising:
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a) a systemic-pulmonary shunt implanted within a patient'"'"'s chest cavity having one end adapted to be attached to the patient'"'"'s arterial system and another end adapted to be attached to the patient'"'"'s pulmonary system and operative to communicate blood from the patient'"'"'s arterial system to the patient'"'"'s pulmonary system; b) an adjustable flow restrictor forming part of said shunt, said adjustable flow restrictor having at least three effective sizes; c) an oximeter including a probe in communication with blood flowing in said shunt; d) a restrictor control system responsive to said oximeter to vary the effective size of said flow restrictor, said effective size of said flow restrictor being a function of the oxygen saturation level in the blood whereby a blood flow rate through said shunt is adjusted to maintain a oxygen saturation level in said blood between predetermined limits, one limit being substantially 40% and the other limit being substantially 99%; and
,e) an implantable power source for providing power for said control system. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus for treating congenital heart defects, comprising:
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a) a systemic-pulmonary shunt implanted within a patient'"'"'s chest cavity having one end adapted to be attached to the patient'"'"'s arterial system and another end adapted to be attached to the patient'"'"'s pulmonary system and operative to communicate blood from the patient'"'"'s arterial system to the patient'"'"'s pulmonary system; b) an adjustable flow restrictor forming part of said shunt, said adjustable flow restrictor having at least three effective sized; c) an oxygen sensor in communication with blood flowing in said patient; d) a restrictor control system responsive to said sensor to vary the effective size of said flow restrictor whereby a blood flow rate in said shunt is adjusted to maintain an oxygen saturation level in said blood between predetermined limits, one limit being substantially 40% and the other limit being substantially 99%; and
,e) an implantable power source for providing power for said control system. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. An apparatus for treating congenital heart defects, comprising:
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a) a systemic-pulmonary shunt implanted within a patient'"'"'s chest cavity having one end adapted to be attached to the patient'"'"'s arterial system and another end adapted to be attached to the patient'"'"'s pulmonary system and operative to communicate blood from the patient'"'"'s arterial system to the patient'"'"'s pulmonary system; b) an adjustable flow restrictor forming part of said shunt, said adjustable flow restrictor having at least three effective sizes; c) a restrictor control system operative to vary the effective size of said flow restrictor whereby a blood flow rate in said shunt is adjusted to maintain a oxygen saturation level in said blood between predetermined limits, one limit being substantially 40% and the other limit being substantially 99%; and
,d) an implantable power source for providing power to said control system. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An apparatus for treating congenital heart defects, comprising:
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a) a shunt implanted within a patient'"'"'s chest cavity for communicating blood from the patient'"'"'s arterial system to the patient'"'"'s pulmonary system; b) an adjustable flow restrictor forming part of said shunt; c) a restrictor control system operative to vary an effective size of said flow restrictor whereby a blood flow rate in said shunt is adjusted to maintain a oxygen saturation level in said blood between predetermined limits; d) an oxygen sensor for monitoring the oxygen saturation level in the patient'"'"'s blood, said oxygen sensor comprising an oximeter that directly monitors the oxygen saturation level of blood flowing in said shunt; and
,e) an implantable power source for providing power to said control system.
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27. For a patient having a first vascular structure and a second vascular which under normal conditions receives blood that has travelled through the first vascular structure, an apparatus for treating congenital heart defects, comprising:
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a) a shunt implanted within a patient'"'"'s chest cavity having one end adapted to be attached to the first vascular structure of the patient and another end adapted to be attached to the second vascular structure of the patient and operative to communicate blood from the patient'"'"'s second vascular structure to the patient'"'"'s first vascular structure; b) an adjustable flow restrictor forming part of said shunt, said adjustable flow restrictor having at least three effective sizes; c) an oximeter including a sensor for monitoring the oxygen level of blood flowing through the patient; d) a restrictor control system responsive to said oximeter to vary the effective size of said flow restrictor said effective size of said flow restrictor being a function of the oxygen saturation level in the blood whereby a blood flow rate through said shunt is adjusted to maintain a oxygen saturation level in said blood between predetermined limits, one limit being substantially 40% and the other limit being substantially 99%; and
,e) an implantable power source for providing power for said control system.
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Specification