PREVENTION OF AORTIC VALVE FUSION

• US 20170258974A1
• Filed: 05/22/2017
• Published: 09/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TC1 LLC (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: TC1 LLC (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Poirier, Victor
• Granted Patent: US 10,046,098 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3334 Measuring or controlling the flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3344 Measuring or controlling pressure at the body treatment site
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3351 Controlling upstream pump pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3355 Controlling downstream pump pressure
• 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 60/216 including a rotating member acting on the blood, e.g. impeller
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/411 generated by an electromotor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/523 using blood flow data, e.g. from blood flow transducers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/531 using blood pressure data, e.g. from blood pressure sensors

Abstract

Materials and methods related to blood pump systems are described. These can be used in patients to, for example, monitor arterial pressure, measure blood flow, maintain left ventricular pressure within a particular range, avoid left ventricular collapse, prevent fusion of the aortic valve in a subject having a blood pump, and provide a means to wean a patient from a blood pump.

Claims

1. A controller for controlling a blood pump, the controller comprising:

an input configured to receive (i) information indicating a left ventricular pressure of a heart, and (ii) information indicating an arterial pressure;

a processing device configured to generate a control signal to adjust a speed of the blood pump based on the left ventricular pressure and the arterial pressure such that left ventricular pressure is increased to open an aortic valve of the heart at a particular interval; and

an output configured to transmit the control signal to the blood pump.

2. The controller of claim 1, wherein the input is configured to receive (i) information indicating a left ventricular pressure detected by a sensor at an inflow conduit of the blood pump, and (ii) information indicating an arterial pressure detected by a sensor at an outflow conduit of the blood pump.

3. The controller of claim 1, wherein the processing device is configured to generate a control signal to maintain the adjusted speed of the blood pump for 5 to 10 beats or a period that permits washing of an aortic valve sinus of the heart.

4. The controller of claim 1, wherein the processing device is configured to generate a control signal to decrease the speed of the blood pump such that the left ventricular pressure substantially equals the arterial pressure.

5. The controller of claim 1, wherein the processing device is configured to generate a control signal to decrease the speed of the blood pump such that the left ventricular pressure exceeds the arterial pressure.

6. The controller of claim 1, wherein the processing device is configured to generate a control signal to adjust the speed of the blood pump such that the left ventricular pressure equals or exceeds the arterial pressure during systole.

7. The controller of claim 1, wherein the processing device is configured to generate a control signal to reduce the speed of the blood pump, maintain the reduced speed for a predetermined length of time, and increase the speed of the blood pump after the predetermined length of time to reduce left ventricular pressure to a pressure level present before the speed was reduced.

8. A machine-readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving information indicating a left ventricular pressure of a patient;

receiving information indicating an arterial pressure of the patient; and

adjusting a speed of a blood pump based on the left ventricular pressure and the arterial pressure such that left ventricular pressure is increased to open an aortic valve of the heart at a particular interval.

9. The machine-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein receiving information indicating the left ventricular pressure of the heart comprises receiving information indicating a left ventricular pressure detected by a sensor at an inflow conduit of the blood pump;

and

wherein receiving information indicating an arterial pressure comprises receiving information indicating an arterial pressure detected by a sensor at an outflow conduit of the blood pump.

10. The machine-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise maintaining the adjusted speed of the blood pump for 5 to 10 beats or a period that permits washing of an aortic valve sinus of the heart.

11. The machine-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein adjusting the speed of the blood pump at a particular interval comprises decreasing the speed of the blood pump such that the left ventricular pressure substantially equals the arterial pressure.

12. The machine-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein adjusting the speed of the blood pump comprises decreasing the speed of the blood pump such that the left ventricular pressure exceeds the arterial pressure.

13. The machine-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein adjusting the speed of the blood pump comprises adjusting the speed of the blood pump such that the left ventricular pressure equals or exceeds the arterial pressure during systole.

14. The machine-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein adjusting the speed of the blood pump comprises, at the particular interval, reducing the speed of the blood pump, maintaining the reduced speed for a predetermined length of time, and increasing the speed of the blood pump after the predetermined length of time to reduce left ventricular pressure to a pressure level present before the speed was reduced.