Cardiac support systems and methods for chronic use

• US 8,551,163 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2011
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sweet, Thomas J
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHALL, MATTHEW WAYNE
• Application Number:
  US13/038,875
• Publication Number:
  US 20120150291A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 623/3.1, 623/3.13, 623/3.14
• US Class Current: 623/3.14
• 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. A cardiac support system comprising:

a rotary blood pump that is implantable into a human body, wherein said rotary blood pump generates a desired amount of blood flow;

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

a receiving coil assembly coupled to said power module, wherein said receiving coil assembly is implantable into said human body; and

a transmitting coil assembly magnetic resonance coupled to said receiving coil assembly, wherein said transmitting coil assembly is utilized to electromagnetically transfer energy to said receiving coil assembly.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said desired amount of blood flow is generated with an ECR of 1.0 or greater using electrical energy stored by said power module.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said desired amount of blood flow is generated with an ECR of 2.5 or greater using electrical energy stored by said power module.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said desired amount of blood flow is generated with an ECR of 4.0 or greater using electrical energy stored by said power module.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said receiving coil assembly is 100 cc or less in volume.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said power module is 150 cc or less in volume.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said power module stores electric energy in a rechargeable battery or a capacitor.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a controller that is implantable into said human body, wherein said controller controls a speed of said rotary blood pump.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a cardiac activity sensor or a physiological demand sensor, wherein said speed of said rotary blood pump is adjusted in accordance with a detected cardiac activity or a detected physiological demand.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a patient monitor wirelessly coupled to said controller, wherein said patient monitor provides status information on said rotary blood pump; and

a programmer wirelessly coupled to said controller, wherein said programmer changes operating parameters of said rotary blood pump.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said rotary blood pump produces a pulsatile blood flow.

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

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

storing electrical energy in a power module implanted in said patient, wherein said power module stores electrical energy received from a receiving coil assembly implanted in said patient; and

coupling a transmitting coil assembly to said receiving coil assembly using magnetic resonance coupling, wherein said transmitting coil assembly electromagnetically transfers energy to said receiving coil assembly.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said desired amount of blood flow is generated with an ECR of 1.0 or greater using electrical energy stored by said power module.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said desired amount of blood flow is generated with an ECR of 2.5 or greater using electrical energy stored by said power module.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said desired amount of blood flow is generated with an ECR of 4.0 or greater using electrical energy stored by said power module.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein said receiving coil assembly is 100 cc or less in volume.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein said power module is 150 cc or less in volume.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising detecting cardiac activity, wherein said desired amount of blood flow is adjusted in accordance with said cardiac activity detected.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising detecting physiological demand, wherein said desired amount of blood flow is adjusted in accordance with said physiological demand detected.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising monitoring said rotary blood pump wirelessly, wherein status information is provided visually, acoustically, or tactilely.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein said desired amount of blood flow generated is pulsatile.

22. The method of claim 12, further comprising programming said rotary blood pump wirelessly, wherein programming data is provided via RF or low frequency electromagnetic coupling.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said programming data alters an operational setting of said rotary blood pump, power module, or receiving coil assembly.

24. A cardiac support system comprising:

a rotary blood pump that is implantable into a human body, wherein said rotary blood pump generates a desired amount of blood flow;

a power module connected to said rotary blood pump, wherein said power module is implantable into said human body; and

a receiving coil assembly receiving energy wirelessly, wherein said receiving coil assembly is implantable into said human body, said receiving coil assembly transfers said energy into said power module, and said desired amount of blood flow is generated with an energy conversion ratio (ECR) of 1.0 or greater using energy stored by said power module.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein said desired amount of blood flow is generated with an ECR of 2.5 or greater using electrical energy stored by said power module.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein said desired amount of blood flow is generated with an ECR of 4.0 or greater using electrical energy stored by said power module.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein said receiving coil assembly is inductively coupled to a transmitting coil assembly, wherein said transmitting coil assembly transfers energy wirelessly to said receiving coil assembly by induction.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein said receiving coil assembly comprises at least a receiving resonant coil that is magnetic resonance coupled to a transmitting coil assembly, wherein said transmitting coil assembly transfers energy wirelessly to said receiving coil assembly by magnetic resonance coupling.

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

receiving energy wirelessly via a receiving coil assembly, wherein said receiving coil assembly is implantable into a human body;

storing said energy in a power module, wherein said power module is implantable into said human body; and

producing a desired amount of blood flow from a rotary blood pump utilizing energy provided by said power module, wherein said rotary blood pump is implantable into said human body, and said desired amount of blood flow is generated with an Energy Conversion Ratio (ECR) of 1.0 or greater using energy stored by said power module.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said desired amount of blood flow is generated with an ECR of 2.5 or greater using energy stored by said power module.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein said desired amount of blood flow is generated with an ECR of 4.0 or greater using electrical energy stored by said power module.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein said receiving coil assembly receives energy wirelessly via induction.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein said receiving coil assembly receives energy wirelessly via magnetic resonance coupling.