Orthotopic total artificial heart

• US 6,669,726 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2000
• Issued: 12/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Juan M. Giambruno
• Original Assignee: Juan M. Giambruno
• Inventors: Giambruno, Juan M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Snow, Bruce
• Application Number:
  US09/497,683
• Publication Number:
  US 20030191529A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,425 Days
• Field of Search: 623/3.17, 623/3.16, 623/3.18, 623/3.19, 623/3.2, 623/3.21, 623/3.22, 623/3.23, 623/3.24, 623/3.25, 600/16
• US Class Current: 623/3.17
• 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 60/196 replacing the entire heart, e.g. total artificial hearts [TAH]
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/427 the force acting on the blood contacting member being hydraulic or pneumatic

Abstract

An orthotopic total artificial heart for replacing the human heart comprising a new design of two assembled blood chambers with an original layout between themselves and between their inlet and outlet ports. Such design enables a significantly better space utilization inside the anterior mediastinum than the prior art; realizing the required anatomical fit.

Claims

1. An artificial heart for insertion in a living being subjected to surgery in which the lower sector of the aorta artery and main pulmonary artery have been surgically liberated, and then transposed with respect to their native antero-posterior position comprising:

one right blood chamber, said right blood chamber having one right inlet port for blood to enter, said right inlet port having means for attachment to the right atrium,

said right blood chamber including one posterior outlet port for blood to exit said right blood chamber, said posterior outlet port having means for attachment to the main pulmonary artery,

one left blood chamber, said left blood chamber having one left inlet port for blood to enter, said left inlet port having means for attachment to the left atrium,

said left blood chamber including one anterior outlet port for blood to exit said left blood chamber, said anterior outlet port having means for attachment to the aorta artery, wherein

the spatial arrangement between said right and left blood chambers being such that a part of the right blood chamber is posterior to the corresponding part of the left blood chamber,

in such a way that their outlet ports are placed in a transposed position with regard to the normal anatomy of the native heart, and

means for squeezing and directing blood into and out of said right and left blood chambers.

2. An artificial heart as defined in claim 1, wherein both said blood chambers are soft and flexible.

3. An artificial heart as defined in claim 1, wherein each of the innermost walls of both multiple-walled blood chambers are made of pericardium single piece.

4. An artificial heart as defined in claim 1 wherein said blood chambers have expanded capacity between 20 mL and 120 mL each, preferably between 40 mL and 100 mL each.