Methods, devices and systems for counterpulsation of blood flow to and from the circulatory system

• US 8,388,511 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2011
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Paul A. Spence
• Original Assignee: Paul A. Spence
• Inventors: Spence, Paul A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Carl H
• Assistant Examiner(s): PORTER, JR, GARY A
• Application Number:
  US13/309,637
• Publication Number:
  US 20120078032A1
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 600/16, 600/18
• US Class Current: 600/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8243 by induction
• 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 60/152 branching on and drawing blood from a blood vessel
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/274 the inlet and outlet being the same, e.g. para-aortic counter-pulsation blood pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/432 with diastole or systole switching by stopping or reversing the blood pump operating at a much higher cyclical speed than the heart beat
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/462 Electromagnetic force
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/562 for making blood flow pulsatile in blood pumps that do not intrinsically create pulsatile flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/869 Compliance chambers containing a gas or liquid other than blood to compensate volume variations of a blood chamber
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/873 specially adapted for wireless or transcutaneous energy transfer [TET], e.g. inductive charging

Abstract

Counterpulsation methods and systems for assisting the heart of a patient involve, for example, coordinating the operation of a pulsatile pump to suction blood from an artery through a blood flow conduit while the heart is in systole and expel the blood into the blood flow conduit and the artery while the heart is in diastole.

Claims

1. A counterpulsation method of assisting the heart of a patient using a pump assist system, the method comprising:

coupling a blood flow conduit to an artery of the patient,

connecting a first port of a pulsatile pump to the blood flow conduit,

implanting the pump in the patient at a location outside the chest cavity and abdominal cavity of the patient,

connecting a power supply to the pump,

positioning the power supply outside the body of the patient, and

coordinating the operation of the pulsatile pump with the power supply to suction blood from the artery through the first port and the blood flow conduit while the heart is in systole and expel the blood into the first port and the blood flow conduit and the artery while the heart is in diastole.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein coupling the blood flow conduit to an artery further comprises coupling to an artery in the neck, shoulder or upper chest region of the patient.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein coupling the blood flow conduit to an artery further comprises coupling to an artery inside the chest cavity of the patient.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein coupling the blood flow conduit to an artery further comprises coupling to an artery in the retroperitoneal region of the patient.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising implanting the pump in a superficial, subcutaneous area of the patient.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising implanting the pump in the pelvic region of the patient.

7. A pump system for assisting the heart of a patient, comprising:

a pulsatile pump configured for implantation outside the chest cavity and the abdominal cavity of the patient, said pulsatile pump having a pump chamber, said pulsatile pump further including a port communicating with said pump chamber and said pump chamber including a movable element operative to suction blood into said pump chamber through said port and expel blood from said pump chamber through said port,

a blood flow conduit coupled with said port and configured to be coupled to an artery of the patient,

a power supply coupled to said pulsatile pump, and

a control coupled with said pulsatile pump, said control configured to coordinate the operation of said movable element to suction blood from the artery into said pump chamber through said port and said blood flow conduit while the heart is in systole and expel the blood from said pump chamber through said port and said blood flow conduit into the artery while the heart is in diastole.

8. The pump system of claim 7, further comprising:

a fluid driven driver unit powered by said power supply, and

a driver conduit coupled to said driver unit and to said pulsatile pump, said driver unit supplying pressurized fluid through said driver conduit to move said movable element.

9. The pump system of claim 8, wherein said driver conduit is attached to an opposite side of said pulsatile pump relative to said blood flow conduit.

10. The pump system of claim 8, wherein said movable element is one of:

a diaphragm, a bladder, a pouch, and a sack.