Bi-ventricular percutaneous cable

• US 8,668,526 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2013
• Issued: 03/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TC1 LLC (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: Thoratec LLC
• Inventors: Cotter, Christopher James
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Amy Cohen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Imas, Vladimir
• Application Number:
  US13/784,107
• Publication Number:
  US 20130178932A1
• Time in Patent Office: 372 Days
• Field of Search: 439/638, 439/668, 439/669, 439/271, 439/502, 439/909
• US Class Current: 439/638
• 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 60/88 Percutaneous cables
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5224 for medical use
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/622 Screw-ring or screw-casing H01R13/623 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/12 for medicine and surgery
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/02 Intermediate parts for distributing energy to two or more circuits in parallel, e.g. splitter with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/92

Abstract

A percutaneous cable includes a cable body having a first end and second end, the cable body including a sheath adapted to traverse a patient'"'"'s skin. The cable includes a plurality of conductors disposed within the cable body configured to transmit power and control data between a system controller and two implantable pumps. The cable includes a first connector disposed at the first end of the cable body and coupled to the plurality of conductors, the first connector configured to connect the cable body to the system controller. The cable includes a second connector disposed at the second end of the cable body, the second connector comprising a first set of contacts and a second set of contacts.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

transmitting power from a controller through a plurality of conductors of a percutaneous cable;

bifurcating the power from the plurality of conductors of the percutaneous cable onto a first set of conductors and a second set of conductors via a connector;

transmitting power through the first set of conductors to provide power to a first of two implanted ventricular assist pumps; and

transmitting power through the second set of conductors to provide power to a second of the two implantable ventricular assist pumps.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting power through the first set of conductors includes transmitting power to a first pump cable connected to the first of the two implanted ventricular assist pumps, and wherein transmitting power through the second set of conductors includes transmitting power to a second pump cable connected to the second of the two implanted ventricular assist pumps.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a biocompatible sheath along a portion of a length of the percutaneous cable traverses skin.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the percutaneous cable traverses skin and is releasably connected to the connector.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the percutaneous cable traverses skin through a single site.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the connector is implanted within a patient'"'"'s body.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein at least one of the first and second pump cables is releasably connected to the connector.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein one of the first and second pump cables is releasably connected to the connector and the other of the first and second pump cables is permanently connected to the connector.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a second connector is coupled between the percutaneous cable and the controller.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein a cap is provided on the second connector, the method further comprising:

passing the percutaneous cable through a skin layer;

removing the cap from the second connector; and

connecting the percutaneous cable to the controller before transmitting power from the controller.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the cap is fluid resistant.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the cap is configured to limit electrical conduction from outside elements.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein a first contact block disposed within the connector includes a first set of contacts coupled to the first set of conductors, and wherein a second contact block disposed within the connector includes a second set of contacts coupled to the second set of conductors.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein transmitting power through the first set of conductors to the first pump cable comprises connecting mating pins of the first pump cable to a plurality of receptacles of a first set of contacts coupled to the first set of conductors, and wherein transmitting power through the second set of conductors to the second pump cable comprises connecting mating pins of the second pump cable to a plurality of receptacles of a second set of contacts coupled to the second set of conductors.

24. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting data from a controller through a plurality of conductors of a percutaneous cable; and

bifurcating the data from the plurality of conductors of the percutaneous cable onto a first set of conductors and a second set of conductors via a connector.

25. The method of claim 2, wherein transmitting power to the first pump cable connected to the first of the two implanted ventricular assist pumps includes providing a seal around a first connector of the first pump cable, the first connector housing a first set of mating pins, and wherein transmitting power to the second pump cable connected to the second of the two implanted ventricular assist pumps includes providing a seal around a second connector of the second pump cable, the second connector housing a second set of mating pins.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein providing the seal around the first connector includes providing a first seal around a portion of the first connector having a first diameter and providing a second seal around a portion of the first connector having a second diameter different from the first diameter.

15. A method for providing power to an implanted ventricular assist pump, the method comprising:

providing a percutaneous cable having a connector, the connector comprising first and second sets of contacts;

connecting a first pump cable of a first implanted ventricular assist pump to the first set of contacts;

connecting a second pump cable of a second implanted ventricular assist pump to the second set of contacts;

transmitting power from a controller to a plurality of conductors of the percutaneous cable; and

bifurcating the power from the plurality of conductors onto a first portion of the plurality of conductors and a second portion of the plurality of conductors, the first and second portions being coupled, respectively, to the first and second sets of contacts.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein a first portion of the percutaneous cable is positioned within a patient'"'"'s body, and wherein a second portion of the percutaneous cable is positioned outside the patient'"'"'s body.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the percutaneous cable traverses skin through a single entry point.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the connector is positioned within the patient'"'"'s body.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the connector is positioned outside a patient'"'"'s body.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first and second pump cables traverse skin, respectively, through first and second entry points in the patient'"'"'s body.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein at least one of the first and second pump cables is releasably connected, respectively, to the first and second sets of contacts.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising releasably connecting the percutaneous cable to the connector.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein a second connector is coupled between the percutaneous cable and the controller.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein connecting the first pump cable of the first implanted ventricular assist pump to the first set of contacts includes providing a seal around a first connector of the first pump cable, the first connector housing a first set of mating pins, and wherein connecting the second pump cable of the second implanted ventricular assist pump to the second set of contacts includes providing a seal around a second connector of the first pump cable, the second connector housing a second set of mating pins.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein providing the seal around the first connector includes providing a first seal around a portion of the first connector having a first diameter and providing a second seal around a portion of the first connector having a second diameter different from the first diameter.