Method of rendering a mechanical heart valve non-thrombogenic with an electrical device

• US 20050021134A1
• Filed: 06/30/2004
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: JS Vascular, Inc.
• Original Assignee: JS Vascular, Inc.
• Inventors: Opie, John C.
• Application Number:
  US10/883,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20050021134A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/2.200
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/02 Prostheses implantable into the body closure means for urethra or rectum or for artificial body openings therefor A61F2/0004
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2403 with pivoting rigid closure members check valves with hinged closure members in general F16K15/03
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30107 using materials or accessories for preventing galvanic or electrolytic corrosion
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0009 using materials or accessories for preventing galvanic or electrolytic corrosion
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/50 Materials characterised by their function or physical properties , e.g. injectable or lubricating compositions, shape-memory materials, surface modified materials

Abstract

A mechanical device for implantation into a patient'"'"'s body is designed or modified to be electrically charged to prevent coagulation on the device, thereby extending the life of the device and alleviating the need for the patient to utilize anticoagulant therapy. The device may be a heart valve and is electrically charged by being connected to a power source. The power source is preferably a battery pack implanted in the body and is connected to the device by connector wires. The charge applied to the device may be negative or positive, as long as it helps to repel platelets and/or red blood cells from the device in order to help prevent coagulation on one or more surfaces of the device.

Claims

1. A mechanical device for implantation into a body, the device configured to be connectable to a power source for electrically charging the device and thereby lessening coagulation at lest part of the surface of the device by repelling at least some platelets and red blood cells.

2. The mechanical device of claim 1 wherein the device is a heart valve.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the device is a pulmonary valve.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein the device is a tricuspid valve.

5. The mechanical device of claim 2 wherein the device is a mitral valve.

6. The mechanical device of claim 2 wherein the device is an aortic valve.

7. The device of claim 1 that is connected to a power source, wherein the power source is capable of applying an electrical charge to the device.

8. The device of claim 1 that is electrically charged.

9. The device of claim 8 that is constantly electrically charged.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein an electric current is constantly supplied to the device by the power source.

11. The device of claim 7 that is connected to the power source by one or more wires that can transfer electric current from the power source to the device.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein the power source is a battery pack.

13. The device of claim 7 wherein the power source is a battery pack.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein the battery pack has two batteries.

15. The device of claim 13 wherein the battery pack comprises a canister that retains the batteries therein.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein the canister functions as a ground for electrical current generated by the power source.

17. The device of claim 7 wherein the power source generates a negative charge in the device.

18. The device of claim 7 wherein the power source generates a positive charge in the device.

19. The device of claim 14 wherein each of the batteries is electrically isolated from the other.

20. The device of claim 7 wherein the power source is subcutaneously implanted.

21. The device of claim 14 wherein there is a first battery and a second battery, and at least one wire connects the first battery to the device and at least one wire connects the second battery to the device, wherein the at least one wire that connects the first battery to the device is a different wire than the at least one wire that connects the second battery to the device.

22. The device of claim 14 wherein a first pair of wires connects the first battery to the device and a second pair of wires connects the second battery to the device.

23. The device of claim 11 wherein the one or more wires are connected to the body of the valve annulus.

24. The device of claim 11 wherein the one or more wires are insulated.

25. The device of claim 11 wherein the device is a heart valve and the one or more wires are connected to the heart valve and pass through the left atrium in the case of a mitral valve, the aorta in the case of an aortic valve, and the right atrium in the case of a tricuspid valve, into the pericardial space, over the clavical and are connected to the power source.

26. The device of claim 13 wherein the battery pack includes a lithium iodide battery.

27. The device of claim 2 wherein the heart valve comprises pyrolytic carbon.

28. The device of claim 2 wherein the heart valve has a sewing ring, the sewing ring comprising TEFLON.

29. The device of claim 7 wherein the power source is designed to last for the life of the patient.

30. The device of claim 14 wherein there is a first battery and a second battery, and the first battery supplies power to the device until it is incapable of doing so, at which time the second battery supplies power to the device.

31. The device of claim 7 wherein the power source generates a voltage of between 100 mV and 300 mV.

32. The device of claim 7 wherein the power source generates a current of between 100 mA and 300 mA.

33. A power source for implantation in a body, wherein the power source is connectable to a mechanical device implanted in the body to electrically charge the device by applying an electrical current to the device.

34. The power source of claim 33 that supplies a constant current to the device.

35. The power source of claim 33 that is a battery pack.

36. The power source of claim 33 that comprises two electrically isolated batteries, wherein a first of the two batteries generates an electrical charge in the device and second of the two batteries generates an electrical charge to the device should the first battery malfunction or become exhausted.

37. The power source of claim 36 wherein if the second of the two batteries, is activated, mandates that the first of the two batteries be replaced.

38. The power source of claim 33 that includes a pair of insulated connector wires that connect the power source to the device in a manner that prevents body fluids from entering the power source.

39. The power source of claim 33 wherein the power source is a battery pack.

40. The power source of claim 39 wherein the battery pack has two batteries.

41. The power source of claim 39 wherein the battery pack comprises a canister that retains the batteries therein.

42. The power source of claim 41 wherein the canister functions as a ground for electrical current generated by the power source.

43. The power source of claim 33 that generates a negative charge in the device.

44. The power source of claim 33 that generates a positive charge in the device.

45. The power source of claim 33 that is subcutaneously implanted.

46. The power source of claim 40 wherein there is a first battery and a second battery, and at least one wire connects the first battery to the device and at least one wire connects the second battery to the device, wherein the at least one wire that connects the first battery to the device is a different wire than the at least one wire that connects the second battery to the device.

47. The power source of claim 46 wherein a first pair of wires connects the first battery to the device and a second pair of wires connects the second battery to the device.

48. A method for rendering an existing hart valve partially or entirely non-thrombogenic by attaching a pair of insulated wires to the annulus of the heart valve, wherein the wires exit the heart to connect to a power source.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein the power source is a battery pack.

50. The method of claim 48 wherein the wires exit the left atrium of the heart in the case of a mitral valve or the aorta in the case of an aortic valve and reach the pericardial space.

51. The method of claim 48 wherein the wires are of a small diameter so as to reduce the likelihood of post operative bleeding after insertion.

52. The method of claim 48 wherein the electrical connection between the power source and the wires are made outside the heart.

53. The method of claim 48 wherein the power source generates a charge to be applied to the heart valve annulus, the body of the annulus and the valve leaflets.

54. The method of claim 48 wherein the power source is capable of supplying sufficient current to electrically charge the annulus and the entire valve structure of a heart valve.