Mechanical auxillary ventricle blood pump with reduced waist portion

• US 6,471,633 B1
• Filed: 08/23/1999
• Issued: 10/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: L3 Technologies, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: L.VAD Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Freed, Paul S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schaetzle, Kennedy
• Application Number:
  US09/379,475
• Time in Patent Office: 1,163 Days
• Field of Search: 600/16, 600/18, 623/3.1, 623/3.16, 623/3.21, 623/3.26
• US Class Current: 600/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/139 inside the aorta, e.g. intra-aortic balloon pumps
• 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 60/427 the force acting on the blood contacting member being hydraulic or pneumatic

Abstract

An apparatus adapted to be inflated and deflated in response to selective communication with a source of pressurized fluid includes a bladder having a semi-rigid shell body portion and a relatively thin membrane portion defining an inflatable chamber. The elongate semi-rigid shell body preferably includes a contoured, concave inner surface terminating at a peripheral side edge. At least one passage extends through the shell body defining an opening in the inner surface of the shell body. The flexible membrane is continuously bonded to the shell body adjacent the peripheral side edge to define the enclosed inflatable chamber in communication with the passage. The membrane has a reduced waist portion defining a membrane tension zone adjacent the opening of the passage into the chamber to reduce the probability of occluding the entrance while deflating the chamber.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an elongate semi-rigid shell having an inner surface terminating in a peripheral side edge and at least one passage extending through the shell to define an opening in the inner surface; and

an elongate, flexible membrane connected to the shell adjacent to the peripheral side edge and defining an enclosed inflatable chamber in fluid communication with the passage, said membrane having a centrally located higher tension zone adjacent the opening of the passage through the shell where tension decreases with respect to distance from the at least one passage to prevent occluding the entrance while deflating the chamber.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

the passage disposed adjacent a midway portion of the shell.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising:

the reduced dimension of the membrane being a reduced waist portion disposed adjacent to the midway portion of the shell when attached thereto.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

the membrane continuously bonded to an outer surface of the shell adjacent the peripheral edge.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

the inner surface of the shell being contoured and concave in shape.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

the membrane being formed of a thin, flexible, heat setable, material.

7. An apparatus for assisting cardiac function during a cardiac cycle of a patient when positioned with respect to an aorta, the apparatus comprising:

an elongate semi-rigid shell having a contoured, concave inner surface terminating at a peripheral side edge;

at least one passage extending through the shell to define an opening in the inner surface; and

an elongate, flexible membrane connected to the shell adjacent to the peripheral side edge and defining an enclosed inflatable chamber in fluid communication with the passage, said membrane having a centrally located higher tension zone adjacent the opening of the passage through the shell where tension decreases with respect to distance from the at least one passage to prevent occluding the entrance while deflating the chamber.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:

the passage disposed adjacent a midway portion of the shell.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising:

the reduced dimension of the membrane being a reduced waist portion disposed adjacent to the midway portion of the shell when attached thereto.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:

the membrane continuously bonded to an outer surface of the shell adjacent the peripheral edge.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:

the membrane being formed of a thin, flexible, heat setable, material.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:

a thin sheet material connected to an outer surface of the shell and extending beyond the peripheral side edge to define a suture flange for attaching the shell to an aorta of a patient.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:

the thin sheet material bonded to a substantial portion of the outer surface of the shell.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:

the thin sheet material being Dacron velour material.

15. A dynamic aortic patch having a flexible membrane and manufactured according to a method including the steps of providing an elongate mandrel having a shape defined by substantially flat major surfaces opposite one another and terminating at a rounded peripheral side edge extending between the major surfaces, the side edge contoured and curved to define partial ellipses at both ends and a reduced waist portion adjacent a midway portion, placing a thin, flexible, heat setable, membrane over one of the flat major surfaces and wrapped around the side edge a sufficient distance to form a flange adjacent the opposite flat major surface, holding the membrane in place on the mandrel with at least one clip, and heating the membrane sufficiently to set in memory of the membrane a shape of the mandrel, the dynamic aortic patch comprising:

an elongate semi-rigid shell having an inner surface terminating in a peripheral side edge and at least one passage extending through the shell to define an opening in the inner surface; and

an elongate, flexible membrane connected to the shell adjacent to the peripheral side edge and defining an enclosed inflatable chamber in fluid communication with the passage, said membrane having a centrally located higher tension zone adjacent the opening of the passage through the shell where tension decreases with respect to distance from the at least one passage to prevent occluding the entrance while deflating the chamber.

16. The dynamic aortic patch of claim 15 further comprising:

the flange of the membrane bonded to an outer surface of the elongate semi-rigid shell.

17. The dynamic aortic patch of claim 16 further comprising:

the flange bonded continuously adjacent the peripheral side edge of the shell to define an inflatable chamber in fluid communication with the passage through the shell.

18. The dynamic aortic patch of claim 15 further comprising:

a thin sheet material bonded on a substantial portion of an outer surface of the shell and extending beyond the peripheral side edge of the shell to define a suture flange for attaching the shell to an aorta of a patient.

19. An apparatus comprising:

an elongate semi-rigid shell having an inner surface terminating in a peripheral side edge and at least one passage extending through the shell to define an opening in the inner surface; and

a flat-surfaced, reduced-waist-contoured, mandrel-formed, elongate, flexible membrane connected to the shell adjacent to the peripheral side edge and defining an enclosed inflatable chamber in fluid communication with the passage, said membrane having a centrally located higher tension zone adjacent the opening of the passage through the shell where tension decreases with respect to distance from the at least one passage to prevent occluding the entrance while deflating the chamber.