Temporary blood circulation assist device

• US 6,981,942 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2002
• Issued: 01/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rutgers University
• Original Assignee: University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (State of New Jersey)
• Inventors: Khaw, Kenneth, Li, John K-J
• Primary Examiner(s): Pezzuto, Robert E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HELLER, TAMMIE K
• Application Number:
  US10/300,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20030135086A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,141 Days
• Field of Search: 600 16- 18, 623 313- 315, 128/899
• US Class Current: 600/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/13 by means of a catheter allowing explantation, e.g. catheter pumps temporarily introduced via the vascular system
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/135 inside a blood vessel, e.g. using grafting
• 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 60/178 drawing blood from a ventricle and returning the blood to the arterial system via a cannula external to the ventricle, e.g. left or right ventricular assist devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/237 the blood flow through the rotating member having mainly axial components, e.g. axial flow pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/414 transmitted by a rotating cable, e.g. for blood pumps mounted on a catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/808 specially adapted for deformable impellers, e.g. expandable impellers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/825 Contact bearings, e.g. ball-and-cup or pivot bearings

Abstract

An inflatable circulation assist device is disclosed consisting of an inflatable stator housing an impeller with inflatable blades of varying shapes and sizes. The invention is introduced into the patient percutaneously. The circulation assist device is a small pump packaged into a compact form that is attached to a long flexible driveshaft. The pump is inserted along a guidewire to a target location, and then the pump is inflated. The circulation assist device'"'"'s exterior is designed to expand only so much as to closely fit whatever cardiovascular system element in which it is placed for operation. The vascular assist device can be expanded either by inflation with a fluid. The driveshaft, which connects to the circulation assist device'"'"'s impeller and extends outside the patient'"'"'s body, is rotated by an external motor. After the circulation assist device is no longer needed, it is collapsed into a compact form and removed from the patient percutaneously.

Claims

1. A circulation assist device comprising:

at least one inflatable impeller having an impeller shaft and at least two blades;

a first collet and a second collet supporting the impeller shaft;

an inflatable stator housing connected to the first collet and the second collet and having an interior and an exterior surface enclosing the impeller;

a first drive shaft connected to a second drive shaft connected to the impeller;

an outer sheath surrounding at least a portion of the first drive shaft and connected to the stator housing; and

a motor connected to the first drive shaft.

2. The circulation assist device of claim 1 wherein the impeller and blades are inflated with a liquid.

3. The circulation assist device of claim 2 wherein the liquid is a biologically compatible liquid.

4. The circulation assist device of claim 1 wherein the impeller and blades are inflated with a gas.

5. The circulation assist device of claim 4 wherein the gas is a biologically compatible gas.

6. The circulation assist device of claim 1 wherein the stator housing is inflated with a liquid.

7. The circulation assist device of claim 6 wherein the liquid is a biologically compatible liquid.

8. The circulation assist device of claim 1 wherein the stator housing is inflated with a gas.

9. The circulation assist device of claim 8 wherein the gas is a biologically compatible gas.

10. The circulation assist device of claim 1 further comprising a stator housing inflation port located proximal to the terminus of the outer sheath.

11. The circulation assist device of claim 1, further comprising an impeller inflation port located proximal to the terminus of the first drive shaft.

12. The circulation assist device of claim 1, wherein the stator housing has an interior surface supported by a frame connected to the first collet and the second collet.

13. The circulation assist device of claim 12 wherein the frame comprises at least two spokes connected to the second collet.

14. The circulation assist device of claim 12 wherein the frame further comprises at least two spokes connected to the second collet.

15. The circulation assist device of claim 12 further comprising a number of outer wires which connect to at least one spoke on the first collet and to at least one spoke on the second collet.

16. The circulation assist device of claim 15 wherein the at least one spoke connected to the first collet is connected to the outer wire by a hinge and the at least one spoke connected to the second collet is connected to the outer wire by a hinge means.

17. The circulation assist device of claim 16 wherein the at least one spoke connected to the first collet and the at least one spoke connected to the second collet are each connected to a common outer wire wherein the common outer wire is substantially parallel to the axis of the impeller.

18. The circulation assist device of claim 1, wherein the first drive shaft and the second drive shaft are hollow.

19. The circulation assist device of claim 9 wherein the first drive shaft is of lesser durometer than the second drive shaft.

20. The circulation assist device of claim 1 wherein the impeller is connected with an inflation tube that extends through the hollow of the first drive shaft and terminates at an inflation port located proximal to the motor.

21. The circulation assist device of claim 12 wherein the frame can be folded by moving the outer wires and the stator housing along the axis of the impeller.

22. The circulation assist device of claim 1 wherein the impeller blades have a particular shape.

23. The circulation assist device of claim 22 wherein the particular shape of the impeller blades may be selected from the group consisting of semi-circular, teardrop, ear, kidney, racquet and serpentine shaped blades.

24. A percutaneous circulation assist device comprising:

at least one inflatable impeller having an impeller shaft and at least two blades;

a first collet and a second collet supporting the impeller shaft;

an inflatable stator housing connected to the first collet and the second collet and having an interior and an exterior surface enclosing the impeller;

a first drive shaft connected to a second drive shaft connected to the impeller;

an outer sheath surrounding at least a portion of the first drive shaft and connected to the stator housing; and

a motor connected to the first drive shaft.

25. The percutaneous circulation assist device of claim 24 wherein the impeller and blades are inflated with a liquid.

26. The percutaneous circulation assist device of claim 25 wherein the liquid is a biologically compatible liquid.

27. The percutaneous circulation assist device of claim 24 wherein the impeller and blades are inflated with a gas.

28. The percutaneous circulation assist device of claim 27 wherein the gas is a biologically compatible gas.

29. The percutaneous blood circulation assist device of claim 24 wherein the stator housing is by inflated with a liquid.

30. The percutaneous circulation assist device of claim 29 wherein the liquid is a biologically compatible liquid.

31. The percutaneous assist device of claim 24 wherein the stator housing is inflated with a gas.

32. The percutaneous circulation assist device of claim 31 wherein the gas is a biologically compatible gas.

33. The percutaneous circulation assist device claim of 24 further comprising a stator housing inflation port located proximal to the terminus of the outer sheath.

34. The percutaneous circulation assist device of claim 24 further comprising an impeller inflation port located proximal to the terminus of the first drive shaft.

35. The percutaneous circulation assist device of claim 24 wherein the stator housing has an interior surface supported by a frame connected to the first collet and the second collet.

36. The percutaneous circulation device of claim 35 wherein the frame comprises at least two spokes connected to the first collet.

37. The percutaneous circulation assist device of claim 35 wherein the frame comprises at least two spokes connected to the second collet.

38. The percutaneous circulation assist device of claim 35 further comprising a number of outer wires which connect to at least one spoke on the first collet and to at least one spoke on the second collet.

39. The percutaneous circulation assist device of claim 35 wherein the at least one spoke connected to the first collet is connected to the outer wire by a hinge and the at least one spoke connected to the second collet is connected to the outer wire by a hinge means.

40. The percutaneous circulation assist device of claim 39 wherein the at least one spoke connected to the first collet and the at least one spoke connected to the second collet are each is connected to a common outer wire wherein the common outer wire is substantially parallel to the axis of the impeller.

41. The percutaneous circulation assist device of claim 24 wherein the first drive shaft and the second drive shaft are centrally hollow.

42. The percutaneous circulation assist device of claim 24 wherein the first drive shaft is of lesser durometer than the second drive shaft.

43. The percutaneous circulation assist device of claim 24 wherein the impeller is connected with an inflation tube that extends through the interior of the first drive shaft and terminates at an inflation port located proximal to the motor.

44. The percutaneous circulation assist device of claim 35 wherein the frame can be folded by moving the outer wires and the stator housing along the axis of the impeller.

45. The percutaneous circulation assist device of claim 24 wherein the impeller blades have a particular shape.

46. The percutaneous circulation assist device of claim 24 wherein the particular shape of the impeller blades may be selected from the group consisting of semi-circular, teardrop, ear, kidney, racquet and serpentine shaped blades.