Heart wall actuation device for the natural heart

• US 6,592,619 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2001
• Issued: 07/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: University of Cincinnati
• Original Assignee: University of Cincinnati
• Inventors: Melvin, David Boyd
• Primary Examiner(s): Isabella, David J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chattopadhyay, Urmi
• Application Number:
  US09/850,554
• Publication Number:
  US 20020007216A1
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 623/3.1, 623/3.11, 623/3-6-, 623/3.27, 623/24, 623/66.1, 623/11.11, 600/16-18, 600/37, 600/373-375, 600/393, 601/153, 607/129-130, 607/119, 607/123, 606/151, 128/897
• US Class Current: 623/3.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/02 Prostheses implantable into the body closure means for urethra or rectum or for artificial body openings therefor A61F2/0004
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2481 Devices outside the heart wall, e.g. bags, strips or bands
• 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 60/191 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 60/465 for devices for mechanical circulatory actuation

Abstract

An actuation system for assisting the operation of the natural heart comprises a framework for interfacing with a natural heart, through the wall of the heart, which includes an internal framework element configured to be positioned within the interior volume of a heart and an external framework element configured to be positioned proximate an exterior surface of the heart. The internal framework is flexibly suspended with respect to the external frame. An actuator system is coupled to the framework and configured to engage an exterior surface of the heart. The actuator system comprises an actuator band extending along a portion of a heart wall exterior surface. The actuator band is selectively movable between an actuated state and a relaxed state and is operable, when in the actuated state, to assume a predetermined shape and thereby indent a portion of the heart wall to effect a reduction in the volume of the heart. A drive apparatus is coupled to the actuator band and is operable for selectively moving the actuator band between the relaxed and actuated states to achieve the desired assistance of the natural heart.

Claims

1. An actuation system for assisting the operation of the natural heart, the actuation system comprising:

a framework for interfacing with a natural heart, the framework including an internal framework element configured to be positioned within the interior volume of a heart and an external framework element configured to be positioned proximate an exterior surface of the heart, the internal and external framework elements being coupled together;

an actuator system coupled to the framework and configured to engage an exterior surface of the heart, the actuator system comprising;

an actuator band configured to extend along a portion of a heart wall exterior surface, the actuator band selectively movable between an actuated state and a relaxed state and operable, when in the actuated state, to assume a predetermined shape and thereby indent a portion of the heart wall to effect a reduction in the volume of the heart; and

a drive apparatus coupled to the actuator band and operable for selectively moving the actuator band between the relaxed and actuated states to achieve the desired assistance of the natural heart.

2. The actuation system of claim 1, the actuator band configured to extend along a portion of the left ventricle heart wall, the band, in the actuated state indenting the wall and effecting a reduction of the volume of the left ventricle.

3. The actuation system of claim 1, wherein said actuator band includes a plurality of juxtaposed elements, the elements configured to be drawn together in the actuated state and to cooperate with each other, when drawn together, to assume the predetermined shape.

4. The actuation system of claim 3, wherein said elements are blocks coupled together by a cord, the cord operably coupled to be moved by the drive apparatus in the actuated state to draw the blocks together and form said predetermined shape.

5. The actuation system of claim 4, wherein said blocks have adjacent cooperating surfaces which are at least partially coextensive when the blocks are drawn together.

6. The actuation system of claim 4 further comprising a plurality of cords coupling the blocks together.

7. The actuation system of claim 4 wherein the cord extends through one of an aperture and a channel formed in the blocks to couple the blocks together.

8. The actuation system of claim 3 further comprising a resilient member coupled between at least two of the juxtaposed elements.

9. The actuation system of claim 8 wherein said juxtaposed elements include apertures therethrough, the resilient member extending through the apertures of the elements.

10. The actuation system of claim 1, wherein at least an end of the actuator band is fixed to the external framework element.

11. The actuation system of claim 1 wherein the actuator band is coupled at the end to said external framework element.

12. The actuation system of claim 1 further comprising a curvature limiting device coupled to the actuator band, the curvature limiting device operable for limiting the curvature that the actuator band imposes against the indented portion of the heart wall when it is actuated.

13. The actuation system of claim 12 wherein the curvature limiting device includes a curvature limiting band coupled between the actuator band and the external framework element.

14. The actuation system of claim 12 further comprising a plurality of curvature limiting devices coupled to the actuator band.

15. The actuation system of claim 12 wherein said curvature limiting device is operable for limiting the curvature of the actuator band to a certain percentage of the natural curve of the portion of a heart wall exterior surface along which the actuator band extends.

16. The actuation system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of actuator bands for indenting a portion of the heart wall.

17. The actuation system of claim 1 wherein said actuator band comprises a plurality of articulated elements which move with respect to each other at joints.

18. The actuation system of claim 1 wherein the actuator band, in the relaxed state, is operable to generally assume the natural curve of the heart wall surface along which the actuator band extends.

19. The actuation system of claim 1 wherein said drive apparatus includes an energy storing device, the energy storing device operable for absorbing mechanical energy transferred from the drive system to the actuator band when the actuator band is moved from the relaxed state to the actuated state.

20. The actuation system of claim 19 wherein said energy storing device includes an elastic element.

21. The actuation system of claim 1 wherein said drive apparatus includes a solenoid.