Device for protection against blood-related disorders, notably thromboses, embolisms, vascular spasms, hemorrhages, hemopathies and the presence of abnormal elements in the blood

• US 5,305,745 A
• Filed: 04/02/1992
• Issued: 04/26/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fred Zacouto
• Original Assignee: Fred Zacouto
• Inventors: Zacouto, Fred
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHAETZLE, KENNEDY
• Application Number:
  US07/863,332
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 128/637, 128/633, 128/630, 128/419 D, 128/419 P, 128/670, 604/891.1, 604/246
• US Class Current: 600/324
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22 Implements for squeezing-off ulcers or the like on the inside of inner organs of the body; Implements for scraping-out cavities of body organs, e.g. bones; Calculus removers; Calculus smashing apparatus; Apparatus for removing obstructions in blood vessels, not otherwise provided for dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/361 Detecting fibrillation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/363 Detecting tachycardia or bradycardia
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/418 lymph vessels, ducts or nodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/365 controlled by a physiological parameter, e.g. heart potential evoked response A61N1/371
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3962 in combination with another heart therapy

Abstract

Device for protection against blood-related disorders, notably thromboses, embolisms, vascular spasms, hemorrhages, hemopathies and the presence of abnormal elements in the blood. The device, which is completely implantable, has means (1, 14, 15) for the automatic measurement of biological parameters of the blood, particularly pertaining to blood crasis and/or hemodynamics and/or the myocardium and/or the arteries and/or components present in the blood, implanted observation means, threshold means for comparing the parameter measured value, and means which automatically deliver a suitable treatment, for example a fibrinolytic treatment. This device has means for acquisition and treatment of the cardiac rhythm.

Claims

1. Device for protection against at least one of the following blood coagulation related disorders:

thromboses, embolisms, coagulapathies, hemorrhages, hemopathies, and abnormal cell elements in blood;

characterized by the fact that it comprises;

first implanted means for measuring continuously or periodically at least one value of a biological parameter likely to precede or accompany an impending blood coagulation related disorder or the occurrence of a blood coagulation related disorder, and comprising at least one presentation means adapted to be placed in or on a blood or lymphatic vessel or cavity for presenting to the surrounding blood or lymph a provoking means for actively and continuously provoking a local biological reaction of a factor related to blood coagulation, and a sensor means in or close to said presentation means for responding to the local reaction of the factor provoked by said presentation means,

second implanted means for determining one or several thresholds to which the measured value of the parameter is compared,

and third implanted means for detecting crossing of this threshold and for automatically releasing, into circulation, a suitable dose of one or several therapeutic agents for therapy of the blood coagulation disorder.

2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said sensor means includes at least two pressure sensors spaced along a vascular or cardiac vessel, and said second implanted means includes a means for sensing the pressures picked up by said pressure sensors and/or a time lag between a reaching of predetermined pressures picked up by said pressure sensors.

3. A device according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that said sensor means of said first implanted means senses one of the following parameters:

concentration of oxygen, CO₂, hemoglobin or derivatives, myoglobin, myosin; and

said sensor means is adapted to be place in a blood or lymphatic vessel or cavity near a corporeal zone at risk.

4. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said sensor means comprises a sensor adapted to detect calcium and/or H⁺ ions.

5. A device according to claim 4, characterized in that said provoking means of said presentation means includes at least one factor for affecting the blood coagulation which is contacted by the surrounding blood or lymph or their vessel wall.

6. A device according to claim 5, characterized in that there are a plurality of said presentation means which are arranged a small distance form each other.

7. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said sensor means includes an optical sensor means for detecting an optical change in at least one factor of the blood coagulation.

8. A device according to claim 5, characterized in that said sensor means in or close to said presentation means includes a means which can detect a deposit of fibrin or one of its precursors on said presentation means.

9. A device according to claim 1, further including a means for sensing cardiac and/or arterial cycles, and characterized in that the measurement of the different parameters is made in a periodic manner in association with the cardiac or arterial cycles.

10. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said third implanted means includes a cardiac stimulator and/or defibrillator.

11. A device according to claim 10, characterized in that said stimulator is provided with an antitachyarrythmic means.

12. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said sensor means comprises an optical detector means sensitive to a wavelength of colored blood substances and adapted to be placed in a lymphatic vessel or tissue.

13. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said sensor means comprises an optical detector means sensitive to a concentration of red cells and/or platelets and/or white blood cells.

14. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said sensor is sensitive to a factor of a blood coagulation.

15. A device according to claim 1, and further including a means for sensing cardiac and/or pulse cycles and for controlling said first implanted means to yield measurements at predetermined instants of the cycles.

16. A device according to claim 1, wherein said first means measures variations of local factors related to different local electric fields or currents.

17. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said sensor means comprises optical sensoring means for sensing responsive to a dimension of a fibrin sheet located on said presentation means.

18. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said provoking means includes at least one factor for affecting the blood coagulation to be contacted by the surrounding blood or lymph or their vessel wall.

19. A device according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that said sensing means includes an electrical source and an electrical means connected to said electrical source for measuring an electrical impedance at a frequency of between a few kHz and several MHz.

20. A device according to claim 19, characterized in that said electrical means includes at least two spaced electrodes arranged in and/or at a distance from a cardiac muscle so as to form distinct measurement axes;

and said sensor means senses a vectrogram of heart electrical impedance variations.

21. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said sensor means includes at least one pressure sensor for sensing blood or myocardial pressure.

22. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said sensor means senses a geometrical distortion of a cardiac or vascular vessel.

23. A device according to claim 22, characterized in that said sensor means includes an ultrasound emitter.

24. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said sensor means senses an electrocardiogram and said second implant compares a cardiac electric abnormality of the electrocardiogram with a threshold value thereof.

25. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said sensor means includes means for generating sounds in a heart or in a vascular vessel, as well as means which for detecting the propagation or absorption of the sounds.

26. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said sensor means includes an ultrasonic emitting means for emitting an ultrasonic signal and an ultrasonic receiving means for detecting a resonance of the ultrasonic signal corresponding to a blood factor.

27. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said sensor means includes an optical means for acquiring a color or image in a circulating blood or a cardiac or arterial wall or a bone marrow.