CARDIAC SUPPORT SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CHRONIC USE

• US 20160193397A9
• Filed: 09/04/2013
• Published: 07/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corvion Incorporated
• Original Assignee: EverHeart Systems Inc.
• Inventors: Aber, Greg S., Akkerman, Neil H., Armstrong, Randolph K.
• Granted Patent: US 10,449,277 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 60/178 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 60/226 the blood flow through the rotating member having mainly radial components
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/232 Centrifugal pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/422 the force acting on the blood contacting member being electromagnetic, e.g. using canned motor pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/515 Regulation using real-time patient data
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/824 Hydrodynamic or fluid film bearings
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/873 specially adapted for wireless or transcutaneous energy transfer [TET], e.g. inductive charging
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence

Abstract

A high efficiency cardiac support system is suitable for chronic use in treating heart failure, wherein the system includes an implantable rotary blood pump, an implantable power module, a wireless power transfer subsystem, a patient monitor, and a programmer. In a cardiac support system, the cumulative efficiencies of the components of the system are capable of providing therapeutically effective blood flow for a typical day of awake hours using the energy from a single wireless recharge of an implanted rechargeable energy source. Moreover, the implantable rechargeable energy source may be recharged during a normal sleep period of 8 hours or less. The system may provide full or partial cardiac support without the need for external wearable batteries, controllers, or cables.

Claims

1-33. -33. (canceled)

34. A cardiac support system comprising:

a rotary blood pump implantable in a human body and configured to generate an amount of blood flow;

an implantable housing containing (i) a power module coupled to the rotary blood pump and configured to store electrical energy utilized to operate the rotary blood pump and (ii) a receiving coil assembly coupled to the power module; and

a transmitting coil assembly configured to be magnetic resonance coupled to the receiving coil assembly and configured to electromagnetically transfer the electrical energy from the transmitting coil assembly to the receiving coil assembly.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the receiving coil assembly comprises a receiving resonant coil having a quality factor above 300.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein the transmitting coil assembly comprises a transmitting resonant coil having a quality factor above 600.

37. The system of claim 34, wherein the amount of blood flow is generated with an ECR of 1.0 or greater using the electrical energy stored by the power module.

38. The system of claim 34, wherein the amount of blood flow is generated with an ECR of 2.5 or greater using the electrical energy stored by the power module.

39. The system of claim 34, wherein the amount of blood flow is generated with an ECR of 4.0 or greater using the electrical energy stored by the power module.

40. The system of claim 34, wherein the receiving coil assembly is 100 cc or less in volume.

41. The system of claim 34, wherein the power module is 150 cc or less in volume.

42. The system of claim 34, wherein the power module is configured to store the electrical energy in a rechargeable battery or a capacitor.

43. The system of claim 34, wherein the implantable housing further contains a controller configured to control a speed of the rotary blood pump.

44. The system of claim 43, further comprising a cardiac activity sensor or a physiological demand sensor, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the speed of the rotary blood pump in accordance with a detected cardiac activity or a detected physiological demand.

45. The system of claim 43, further comprising:

a patient monitor wirelessly coupled to the controller, wherein the patient monitor is configured to provide status information on the rotary blood pump; and

a programmer wirelessly coupled to the controller, wherein the programmer is configured to change operating parameters of the rotary blood pump.

46. The system of claim 34, wherein the rotary blood pump is configured to produce a pulsatile blood flow.

47. The system of claim 34, wherein the implantable housing is hermetically sealed.

48. A method for treating heart failure, the method comprising:

generating an amount of blood flow with a rotary blood pump implanted in a patient;

coupling a transmitting coil assembly to a receiving coil assembly, implanted in the patient, using magnetic resonance coupling, such that the transmitting coil assembly electromagnetically transfers energy to the receiving coil assembly; and

storing, in a power module implanted in the patient, the energy transferred to the receiving coil assembly.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the receiving coil assembly comprises a receiving resonant coil having a quality factor above 300.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein the transmitting coil assembly comprises a transmitting resonant coil having a quality factor above 600.

51. The method of claim 48, wherein the amount of blood flow is generated with an ECR of 1.0 or greater using the energy stored in the power module.

52. The method of claim 48, wherein the amount of blood flow is generated with an ECR of 2.5 or greater using the energy stored in the power module.

53. The method of claim 48, wherein the amount of blood flow is generated with an ECR of 4.0 or greater using the energy stored in the power module.

54. The method of claim 48, wherein the receiving coil assembly is 100 cc or less in volume.

55. The method of claim 48, wherein the power module is 150 cc or less in volume.

56. The method of claim 48, further comprising detecting cardiac activity, wherein the amount of blood flow is adjusted in accordance with the cardiac activity detected.

57. The method of claim 48, further comprising detecting physiological demand, wherein the amount of blood flow is adjusted in accordance with the physiological demand detected.

58. The method of claim 48, further comprising monitoring the rotary blood pump wirelessly, wherein status information is provided visually, acoustically, or tactilely.

59. The method of claim 48, wherein the amount of blood flow generated is pulsatile.

60. The method of claim 48, further comprising programming the rotary blood pump wirelessly, wherein programming data is provided via RF or low frequency electromagnetic coupling.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein the programming data alters an operational setting of the rotary blood pump, power module, or receiving coil assembly.

62. A cardiac support system comprising:

a rotary blood pump implantable in a human body and configured to generate an amount of blood flow; and

an implantable housing containing (i) a power module coupled to the rotary blood pump and (ii) a receiving coil assembly configured to receive energy wirelessly and transfer the energy to the power module, wherein the amount of blood flow is generated with an energy conversion ratio (ECR) of 1.0 or greater using the energy in the power module.

63. The system of claim 62, wherein the amount of blood flow is generated with an ECR of 2.5 or greater using the energy in the power module.

64. The system of claim 62, wherein the amount of blood flow is generated with an ECR of 4.0 or greater using the energy in the power module.

65. The system of claim 62, wherein the receiving coil assembly is configured to be inductively coupled to a transmitting coil assembly, wherein the transmitting coil assembly is configured to transfer the energy wirelessly to the receiving coil assembly by induction.

66. The system of claim 62, wherein the receiving coil assembly comprises a receiving resonant coil that is configured to be magnetic resonance coupled to a transmitting coil assembly, wherein the transmitting coil assembly is configured to transfer the energy wirelessly to the receiving coil assembly by magnetic resonance coupling.

67. The system of claim 66, wherein the receiving coil assembly comprises a receiving resonant coil having a quality factor above 300.

68. The system of claim 66, wherein the transmitting coil assembly comprises a transmitting resonant coil having a quality factor above 600.

69. The system of claim 62, wherein the implantable housing is hermetically sealed.

70. A method for treating heart failure, the method comprising:

receiving energy wirelessly in a receiving coil assembly implanted in a human body;

storing the energy in a power module implanted in the human body; and

producing an amount of blood flow from a rotary blood pump, implanted in the human body, such that the amount of blood flow is generated with an Energy Conversion Ratio (ECR) of 1.0 or greater using the energy stored in the power module.

71. The method of claim 70, wherein the amount of blood flow is generated with an ECR of 2.5 or greater using the energy stored in the power module.

72. The method of claim 70, wherein the amount of blood flow is generated with an ECR of 4.0 or greater using the energy stored in the power module.

73. The method of claim 70, wherein the receiving coil assembly receives the energy wirelessly via induction.

74. The method of claim 70, wherein the receiving coil assembly receives the energy wirelessly via magnetic resonance coupling.

75. The method of claim 74, wherein the receiving coil assembly comprises a receiving resonant coil having a quality factor above 300.

76. The method of claim 74, wherein the receiving coil assembly receives the energy from a transmitting coil assembly comprising a transmitting resonant coil having a quality factor above 600.

77. A cardiac support system comprising:

a rotary blood pump implantable in a human body and configured to generate an amount of blood flow;

a power module coupled to the rotary blood pump and configured to store electrical energy utilized to operate the rotary blood pump, wherein the power module is implantable into the human body;

a receiving coil assembly coupled to the power module, being implantable into the human body, and comprising a receiving resonant coil having a quality factor above 300; and

a transmitting coil assembly configured to be magnetic resonance coupled to the receiving coil assembly and configured to electromagnetically transfer the electrical energy from the transmitting coil assembly to the receiving coil assembly.

78. The system of claim 77, wherein the amount of blood flow is generated with an ECR of 1.0 or greater using the electrical energy stored by the power module.

79. The system of claim 77, wherein the amount of blood flow is generated with an ECR of 2.5 or greater using the electrical energy stored by the power module.

80. The system of claim 77, wherein the amount of blood flow is generated with an ECR of 4.0 or greater using the electrical energy stored by the power module.

81. The system of claim 77, wherein the receiving coil assembly is 100 cc or less in volume.

82. The system of claim 77, wherein the power module is 150 cc or less in volume.

83. The system of claim 77, wherein the power module is configured to store the electrical energy in a rechargeable battery or a capacitor.

84. The system of claim 77, further comprising a controller that is implantable into said human body and configured to control a speed of the rotary blood pump.

85. The system of claim 84, further comprising a cardiac activity sensor or a physiological demand sensor, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the speed of the rotary blood pump in accordance with a detected cardiac activity or a detected physiological demand.

86. The system of claim 84, further comprising:

a patient monitor wirelessly coupled to the controller, wherein the patient monitor is configured to provide status information on the rotary blood pump; and

a programmer wirelessly coupled to the controller, wherein the programmer is configured to change operating parameters of the rotary blood pump.

87. The system of claim 77, wherein the rotary blood pump is configured to produce a pulsatile blood flow.

88. A cardiac support system comprising:

a rotary blood pump implantable in a human body and configured to generate an amount of blood flow;

a power module coupled to the rotary blood pump and configured to store electrical energy utilized to operate the rotary blood pump, wherein the power module is implantable into the human body;

a receiving coil assembly coupled to the power module and being implantable into the human body; and

a transmitting coil assembly configured to be magnetic resonance coupled to the receiving coil assembly and configured to electromagnetically transfer the electrical energy from the transmitting coil assembly to the receiving coil assembly, wherein the transmitting coil assembly comprises a transmitting resonant coil having a quality factor above 600.

89. The system of claim 88, wherein the amount of blood flow is generated with an ECR of 1.0 or greater using the electrical energy stored by the power module.

90. The system of claim 88, wherein the amount of blood flow is generated with an ECR of 2.5 or greater using the electrical energy stored by the power module.

91. The system of claim 88, wherein the amount of blood flow is generated with an ECR of 4.0 or greater using the electrical energy stored by the power module.

92. The system of claim 88, wherein the receiving coil assembly is 100 cc or less in volume.

93. The system of claim 88, wherein the power module is 150 cc or less in volume.

94. The system of claim 88, wherein the power module is configured to store the electrical energy in a rechargeable battery or a capacitor.

95. The system of claim 88, further comprising a controller that is implantable into said human body and configured to control a speed of the rotary blood pump.

96. The system of claim 95, further comprising a cardiac activity sensor or a physiological demand sensor, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the speed of the rotary blood pump in accordance with a detected cardiac activity or a detected physiological demand.

97. The system of claim 95, further comprising:

a patient monitor wirelessly coupled to the controller, wherein the patient monitor is configured to provide status information on the rotary blood pump; and

a programmer wirelessly coupled to the controller, wherein the programmer is configured to change operating parameters of the rotary blood pump.

98. The system of claim 88, wherein the rotary blood pump is configured to produce a pulsatile blood flow.