Minimally invasive direct cardiac massage device and method

• US 6,059,750 A
• Filed: 08/01/1996
• Issued: 05/09/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thomas J. Fogarty
• Original Assignee: Thomas J. Fogarty
• Inventors: Fogarty, Thomas J., Ryan, Timothy James
• Primary Examiner(s): Rimell, Sam
• Application Number:
  US08/691,042
• Time in Patent Office: 1,377 Days
• Field of Search: 601/153, 601/151, 601/41, 601/106, 600/18, 604/96, 604/98, 604/192
• US Class Current: 604/103.07
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/191 mechanically acting upon the outside of the patient's native heart, e.g. compressive structures placed around the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/289 Devices for mechanical circulatory actuation assisting the residual heart function by means mechanically acting upon the patient's native heart or blood vessel structure, e.g. direct cardiac compression [DCC] devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/468 the force acting on the actuation means being hydraulic or pneumatic
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/839 of devices for mechanical circulatory actuation

Abstract

A minimally invasive device for performing direct cardiac massage including an inflatable bladder mounted on a rigid inflation tube. The rigid inflation tube is used to push the bladder into the sternocostal space through an incision in the upper abdomen just below the xiphoid process. After insertion into the sternocostal space, the bladder is repeatedly inflated and deflated to massage the heart and provide blood flow.

Claims

1. A diamond shaped bladder for insertion into the sternocostal space of a human, said bladder having an anterior surface and a posterior surface and a center axis running through the upper and lower points of the diamond shaped bladder, the posterior surface of the diamond shaped bladder having rails which bulge posteriorly from the major portion of the bladder and are roughly parallel to the center axis.

2. A minimally invasive device for cardiac massage within the chest of a human, said device comprising:

a rigid insertion rod having a distal end and a proximal end, having a fluid conduit communicating from the proximal end to the distal end, and having an fluid port in the distal end and a fluid port in the proximal end, said distal and proximal fluid ports communicating with the fluid conduit so that the fluid ports and fluid conduits provide a pathway for fluid to pass through the rigid insertion rod;

a balloon mounted on the distal end of the rigid insertion rod over the distal fluid port so that the balloon may be inflated and deflated by passage of fluid through the fluid conduit, said balloon and distal end of the rigid insertion rod forming an insertion portion;

said insertion portion being sized and dimensioned to enable insertion of the insertion portion within the chest of the human between the heart and the sternum of the human, when the balloon is deflated;

said balloon having an inflated shape sized and dimensioned to compress the heart when said balloon is inflated within the chest of the human;

said rigid insertion rod having a bend therein of approximately 15°

from the plane of the balloon;

a fluid connector on the proximal end of the rigid insertion rod;

a fluid supply line connected to the fluid connector on the proximal end of the rigid insertion rod; and

a fluid supply pump connected to the balloon through the fluid supply line, the fluid connector and the rigid insertion rod and the distal fluid port in the rigid insertion rod;

wherein the balloon in its inflated shape is characterized by an anterior surface and a posterior surface, said posterior surface facing the heart when the balloon is in place and inflated between the sternum and the heart, said posterior surface further characterized by a palmate shape.

3. A minimally invasive device for cardiac massage within the chest of a human, said device comprising:

a rigid insertion rod having a distal end and a proximal end, having a fluid conduit communicating from the proximal end to the distal end, and having an fluid port in the distal end and a fluid port in the proximal end, said distal and Proximal fluid ports communicating with the fluid conduit so that the fluid ports and fluid conduits provide a pathway for fluid to pass through the rigid insertion rod;

a balloon mounted on the distal end of the rigid insertion rod over the distal fluid port so that the balloon may be inflated and deflated by passage of fluid through the fluid conduit, said balloon and distal end of the rod forming an insertion portion;

said insertion portion being sized and dimensioned to enable insertion of the insertion portion within the chest of the human between the heart and the sternum of the human, when the balloon is deflated;

said balloon having an inflated shape sized and dimensioned to compress the heart when said balloon is inflated within the chest of the human;

said rigid insertion rod having a bend therein of approximately 15°

from the plane of the balloon;

a fluid connector on the proximal end of the rigid insertion rod;

a fluid supply line connected to the fluid connector on the proximal end of the rigid insertion rod; and

a fluid supply pump connected to the balloon through the fluid supply line, the fluid connector and the rigid insertion rod and the distal fluid port in the rigid insertion rod;

wherein the balloon in its inflated shape is characterized by an anterior surface and a posterior surface, said posterior surface facing the heart when the balloon is in place and inflated between the sternum and the heart, said posterior surface further characterized by a convex shape.