Method for increasing blood flow in or about a cardiac or other vascular or prosthetic structure to prevent thrombosis

• US 8,597,225 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2011
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cleveland Clinic Foundation
• Original Assignee: Cleveland Clinic Foundation
• Inventors: Kapadia, Samir
• Primary Examiner(s): HAND, MELANIE JO
• Application Number:
  US13/190,512
• Publication Number:
  US 20120022427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 604 8- 10, 604/20, 604/93.01, 604/95.01, 604/96.01, 604/102.01, 604/104, 604/118, 604/121, 604/124, 604/140, 604/146, 60416501-16504, 604/174, 604/175, 604/177, 604/178, 604/181, 604/187, 604/239, 604/257, 604/275, 600/104, 600/116, 600/129, 600/153, 600/156, 600/158, 239/525, 239/532
• US Class Current: 604/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0057 Implements for plugging an opening in the wall of a hollow or tubular organ, e.g. for sealing a vessel puncture or closing a cardiac septal defect sutures A61B17/04; closing rectum or urethra near body surface A61F2/0009
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00592 Elastic or resilient implements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00606 Implements H-shaped in cross-section, i.e. with occluders on both sides of the opening
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00623 Introducing or retrieving devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00867 shape memory effect
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/06 Blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2412 with soft flexible valve members, e.g. tissue valves shaped like natural valves check valves with flexible valve members in general F16K15/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/068 Modifying the blood flow model, e.g. by diffuser or deflector

Abstract

A method is provided for increasing blood flow in or about a cardiac structure to prevent thrombosis. One step of the method includes providing an implantable sprayer having an elongated tubular body with proximal and distal end portions. The distal end portion includes at least one opening and an anchoring mechanism. The distal end portion of the implantable sprayer is inserted into a cardiac chamber that includes the cardiac structure. The anchoring mechanism is then deployed so that the distal end portion of the implantable sprayer is secured in or about the cardiac structure. Next, the proximal end portion is anastomosed with an artery so that blood flows through the elongated tubular body of the implantable sprayer and is sprayed out of the at least one opening to continuously circulate blood in or about the cardiac structure.

Claims

1. A method for increasing blood flow in or about a cardiac structure to prevent thrombosis, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an implantable sprayer, the implantable sprayer comprising an elongated tubular body having proximal and distal end portions, the distal end portion including at least one opening and an anchoring mechanism;

deploying the anchoring mechanism so that the distal end portion of the implantable sprayer is secured in or about the cardiac structure; and

anastomosing the proximal end portion with an artery so that blood flows through the elongated tubular body of the implantable sprayer and is sprayed out of the at least one opening to continuously circulate blood in or about the cardiac structure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of deploying the anchoring mechanism further comprises inserting the distal end portion of the implantable sprayer into a cardiac chamber that includes the cardiac structure.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of inserting the distal end portion of the implantable sprayer into a cardiac chamber further comprises the step of forming a trans-septal puncture between a right atrium and a left atrium.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of deploying the anchoring mechanism further comprises the step of securing the distal end portion in a left atrial appendage.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of anastomosing the proximal end portion of the implantable sprayer with an artery further comprises the step of anastomosing the proximal end portion with a subclavian artery.

6. A method for increasing blood flow in a left atrial appendage to prevent thrombosis, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an implantable sprayer, the implantable sprayer comprising an elongated tubular body having proximal and distal end portions, the distal end portion including at least one opening and an anchoring mechanism;

inserting the distal end portion of the implantable sprayer into a left atrium that includes the left atrial appendage;

deploying the anchoring mechanism so that the distal end portion of the implantable sprayer is secured in the left atrial appendage; and

anastomosing the proximal end portion with a subclavian artery so that blood flows through the elongated tubular body of the implantable sprayer and is sprayed out of the at least one opening to continuously circulate blood in the left atrial appendage.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said step of inserting the distal end portion of the implantable sprayer into a left atrium further comprises the steps of:

puncturing a septum between a right atrium and the left atrium;

inserting the distal end portion of the implantable sprayer into a subclavian vein; and

advancing the distal end portion of the implantable sprayer into a superior vena cava into the left atrium via the septal puncture.

8. A method for promoting circulation within a left atrial appendage, said method comprising the steps of:

providing an implantable sprayer, the implantable sprayer comprising an elongated tubular body having proximal and distal end portions, the distal end portion including at least one opening and an anchoring mechanism;

inserting the distal end portion of the implantable sprayer into a left atrium that includes the left atrial appendage;

deploying the anchoring mechanism so that the distal end portion of the implantable sprayer is secured in the left atrial appendage; and

anastomosing the proximal end portion with a portion of an interatrial septum so that blood is withdrawn from the left atrial appendage through the at least one opening and into a right atrium to prevent or mitigate blood stasis in the left atrial appendage.