Intrapericardial assist device and associated method
First Claim
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1. A surgical method for assisting cardiac function, comprising:
- providing a pair of inflatable balloons in collapsed configurations;
inserting said balloons into an intrapericardial space about a patient'"'"'s heart, said step of inserting including (a) inserting a hypodermic type needle through a skin surface and into said intrapericardial space, and (b) injecting said balloons in said collapsed configurations into said intrapericardial space;
disposing one of said balloons about one portion of the patient'"'"'s heart and the other of said balloons about another portion of the patient'"'"'s heart; and
differentially inflating said balloons in said intrapericardial space to differentially compress said one portion and said another portion of the patient'"'"'s heart.
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Abstract
A surgical method for assisting cardiac function utilizes a pair of inflatable balloons initially in collapsed configurations. The balloons are inserted into an intrapericardial space about a patient'"'"'s heart. One of the balloons is disposed about one portion of the patient'"'"'s heart and the other of the balloons about another portion of the patient'"'"'s heart. The method further includes differentially inflating the balloons in the intrapericardial space to differentially compress the one portion and the another portion of the patient'"'"'s heart.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A surgical method for assisting cardiac function, comprising:
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providing a pair of inflatable balloons in collapsed configurations; inserting said balloons into an intrapericardial space about a patient'"'"'s heart, said step of inserting including (a) inserting a hypodermic type needle through a skin surface and into said intrapericardial space, and (b) injecting said balloons in said collapsed configurations into said intrapericardial space; disposing one of said balloons about one portion of the patient'"'"'s heart and the other of said balloons about another portion of the patient'"'"'s heart; and differentially inflating said balloons in said intrapericardial space to differentially compress said one portion and said another portion of the patient'"'"'s heart. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An intrapericardial assist device comprising;
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a pair of balloons connected to one another, said balloons having predetermined sizes and shapes in an expanded configuration so that said balloons are capable of being disposed in a patient'"'"'s intrapericardial space about the patient'"'"'s heart; a spring element connected to said balloons for automatically unfurling said balloons from a folded collapsed configuration to an unfolded collapsed configuration; a first pressure source operatively connected to one of said balloons for controllably pressurizing said one of said balloons; and a second pressure source operatively connected to the other of said balloons for controllably pressurizing said other of said balloons. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A surgical method for assisting cardiac function, comprising:
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providing a pair of inflatable balloons in collapsed configurations, said balloons each having an arcuate cuff configuration in an inflated configuration; inserting said balloons into an intrapericardial space about a patient'"'"'s heart; disposing one of said balloons about one portion of the patient'"'"'s heart and the other of said balloons about another portion of the patient'"'"'s heart; and differentially inflating said balloons in said intrapericardial space to differentially compress said one portion and said another portion of the patient'"'"'s heart, the inflating of said balloons including shaping said balloons into said arcuate configuration.
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14. An intrapericardial assist device comprising;
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a pair of balloons connected to one another, said balloons having predetermined sizes and shapes in an expanded configuration so that said balloons are capable of being disposed in a patient'"'"'s intrapericardial space about the patient'"'"'s heart, said balloons together having a configuration of a cuff in an expanded configuration; a first pressure source operatively connected to one of said balloons for controllably pressurizing said one of said balloons; and a second pressure source operatively connected to the other of said balloons for controllably pressurizing said other of said balloons.
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Specification