US 12,427,299 B1Granted

Pulsatile ventricular assist devices

OwnerYossi Gross, Oz Cabiriinventors

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Abstract

An implantable LVAD is provided that includes a pump shaped so as to define a pump chamber. The pump includes a tubular linear motor, which includes a magnetic piston, which includes a reciprocating one-way valve configured to allow downstream blood flow and inhibit upstream blood flow; and a stator, which is configured to magnetically drive the magnetic piston with reciprocating motion, so as to pump blood downstream during downstream motion of the magnetic piston while the reciprocating one-way valve is closed. The pump further includes a spring, which is arranged to store energy during upstream motion of the magnetic piston and release the stored energy during the downstream motion of the magnetic piston. Control circuitry is configured to activate the tubular linear motor to provide pulsatile flow synchronized with cardiac cycles. Other configurations are also described.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A left ventricular assist device (LVAD) system for treating a patient, the LVAD system comprising:

(i) an implantable LVAD for implantation in the patient, the LVAD comprising:
a stationary one-way outflow valve;
and
a pump, which (a) is shaped so as to define a pump chamber having an upstream inflow end and a downstream outflow end, and (b) comprises:
a tubular linear motor, which comprises (1) a magnetic piston, which comprises a reciprocating one-way valve configured to allow downstream blood flow and inhibit upstream blood flow;
and (2) a stator, which is configured to magnetically drive the magnetic piston with reciprocating motion, so as to pump blood downstream during downstream motion of the magnetic piston while the reciprocating one-way valve is closed;
a spring, which is arranged to store energy during upstream motion of the magnetic piston and release the stored energy during the downstream motion of the magnetic piston;
an outflow cannula, which is (1) couplable in fluid communication with a circulatory system of the patient at a first site, and (2) arranged in fluid communication with the downstream outflow end of the pump chamber via the stationary one-way outflow valve, wherein the stationary one-way outflow valve is configured to allow downstream blood flow from the pump chamber to the outflow cannula and to inhibit upstream blood flow from the outflow cannula to the pump chamber;
and
an inflow cannula, which is (1) couplable in fluid communication with the circulatory system at a second site upstream of the first site, and (2) arranged to allow downstream blood flow from the inflow cannula to the upstream inflow end of the pump chamber;
(ii) a cardiac sensor, configured to sense one or more features of a plurality of cardiac cycles of a heart of the patient;
and
(iii) control circuitry, which is coupled to the cardiac sensor and configured to activate the tubular linear motor to provide pulsatile flow synchronized with the cardiac cycles by, during each of the cardiac cycles:
activating the stator of the tubular linear motor, during a first portion of the cardiac cycle, to move the magnetic piston downstream during a first period of time, and
activating the stator of the tubular linear motor, during a second portion of the cardiac cycle, to move the magnetic piston upstream during a second period of time,
wherein the first portion of the cardiac cycle is at least a portion of one of systole or diastole, and the second portion of the cardiac cycle is at least a portion of the other of systole or diastole,
wherein the control circuitry and the spring are configured such that, during each of the cardiac cycles, peak power consumed by the tubular linear motor during the first portion of the cardiac cycle is no more than three times peak power consumed by the tubular linear motor during the second portion of the cardiac cycle.

14 more elements

A left ventricular assist device (LVAD) system for treating a patient, the LVAD system comprising:

(i) an implantable LVAD for implantation in the patient, the LVAD comprising:
a stationary one-way outflow valve;
and
a pump, which (a) is shaped so as to define a pump chamber having an upstream inflow end and a downstream outflow end, and (b) comprises:
a tubular linear motor, which comprises (1) a magnetic piston, which comprises a reciprocating one-way valve configured to allow downstream blood flow and inhibit upstream blood flow;
and (2) a stator, which is configured to magnetically drive the magnetic piston with reciprocating motion, so as to pump blood downstream during downstream motion of the magnetic piston while the reciprocating one-way valve is closed;
an outflow cannula, which is (1) couplable in fluid communication with a circulatory system of the patient at a first site, and (2) arranged in fluid communication with the downstream outflow end of the pump chamber via the stationary one-way outflow valve, wherein the stationary one-way outflow valve is configured to allow downstream blood flow from the pump chamber to the outflow cannula and to inhibit upstream blood flow from the outflow cannula to the pump chamber;
and
an inflow cannula, which is (1) couplable in fluid communication with the circulatory system at a second site upstream of the first site, and (2) arranged to allow downstream blood flow from the inflow cannula to the upstream inflow end of the pump chamber;
(ii) a cardiac sensor, configured to sense one or more features of a plurality of cardiac cycles of a heart of the patient;
(iii) control circuitry, which is coupled to the cardiac sensor and configured to activate the tubular linear motor to provide pulsatile flow synchronized with the cardiac cycles by:
during a first portion of each of the cardiac cycles, activating the stator of the tubular linear motor to move the magnetic piston downstream at a velocity set based on a target stroke volume and a target stroke duration, and
during a second portion of each of the cardiac cycles, activating the stator of the tubular linear motor to move the magnetic piston upstream,
wherein the first portion of each of the cardiac cycles is at least a portion of one of systole or diastole, and the second portion of each of the cardiac cycles is at least a portion of the other of systole or diastole;
and
(iv) a left atrial pressure sensor, which is configured to sense left atrial pressure, wherein the control circuitry is configured to set the target stroke volume at a level that prevents the sensed left atrial pressure from exceeding a threshold pressure.

13 more elements

A left ventricular assist device (LVAD) system for treating a patient, the LVAD system comprising:

(i) an implantable LVAD for implantation in the patient, the LVAD comprising:
a stationary one-way outflow valve;
and
a pump, which (a) is shaped so as to define a pump chamber having an upstream inflow end and a downstream outflow end, and (b) comprises:
a tubular linear motor, which comprises (1) a magnetic piston, which comprises a reciprocating one-way valve configured to allow downstream blood flow and inhibit upstream blood flow;
and (2) a stator, which is configured to magnetically drive the magnetic piston with reciprocating motion, so as to pump blood downstream during downstream motion of the magnetic piston while the reciprocating one-way valve is closed;
an outflow cannula, which is (1) couplable in fluid communication with a circulatory system of the patient at a first site, and (2) arranged in fluid communication with the downstream outflow end of the pump chamber via the stationary one-way outflow valve, wherein the stationary one-way outflow valve is configured to allow downstream blood flow from the pump chamber to the outflow cannula and to inhibit upstream blood flow from the outflow cannula to the pump chamber;
and
an inflow cannula, which is (1) couplable in fluid communication with the circulatory system at a second site upstream of the first site, and (2) arranged to allow downstream blood flow from the inflow cannula to the upstream inflow end of the pump chamber;
(ii) a cardiac sensor, configured to sense one or more features of a plurality of cardiac cycles of a heart of the patient;
and
(iii) control circuitry, which is coupled to the cardiac sensor and configured to activate the tubular linear motor to provide pulsatile flow synchronized with the cardiac cycles by:
during a first portion of each of the cardiac cycles, activating the stator of the tubular linear motor to move the magnetic piston downstream at a velocity set based on a target stroke volume and a target stroke duration, and
during a second portion of each of the cardiac cycles, activating the stator of the tubular linear motor to move the magnetic piston upstream,
wherein the first portion of each of the cardiac cycles is at least a portion of one of systole or diastole, and the second portion of each of the cardiac cycles is at least a portion of the other of systole or diastole,
wherein the LVAD system further comprises one or more activity sensors, which are configured to sense a level of activity of the patient, wherein the control circuitry is configured to set the target stroke volume responsively to the sensed level of activity of the patient, and
wherein the one or more activity sensors comprise a respiration sensor, which is configured to sense the level of activity of the patient by sensing one or more parameters of respiration of the patient.

14 more elements

A left ventricular assist device (LVAD) system for treating a patient, the LVAD system comprising:

(i) an implantable LVAD for implantation in the patient, the LVAD comprising:
a stationary one-way outflow valve;
and
a pump, which (a) is shaped so as to define a pump chamber having an upstream inflow end and a downstream outflow end, and (b) comprises:
a tubular linear motor, which comprises (1) a magnetic piston, which comprises a reciprocating one-way valve configured to allow downstream blood flow and inhibit upstream blood flow;
and (2) a stator, which is configured to magnetically drive the magnetic piston with reciprocating motion, so as to pump blood downstream during downstream motion of the magnetic piston while the reciprocating one-way valve is closed;
an outflow cannula, which is (1) couplable in fluid communication with a circulatory system of the patient at a first site, and (2) arranged in fluid communication with the downstream outflow end of the pump chamber via the stationary one-way outflow valve, wherein the stationary one-way outflow valve is configured to allow downstream blood flow from the pump chamber to the outflow cannula and to inhibit upstream blood flow from the outflow cannula to the pump chamber;
and
an inflow cannula, which is (1) couplable in fluid communication with the circulatory system at a second site upstream of the first site, and (2) arranged to allow downstream blood flow from the inflow cannula to the upstream inflow end of the pump chamber;
(ii) a cardiac sensor, configured to sense one or more features of a plurality of cardiac cycles of a heart of the patient;
and
(iii) control circuitry, which is coupled to the cardiac sensor and configured to activate the tubular linear motor to provide pulsatile flow synchronized with the cardiac cycles by:
during a first portion of each of the cardiac cycles, activating the stator of the tubular linear motor to move the magnetic piston downstream at a velocity set based on a target stroke volume and a target stroke duration, and
during a second portion of each of the cardiac cycles, activating the stator of the tubular linear motor to move the magnetic piston upstream,
wherein the first portion of each of the cardiac cycles is at least a portion of one of systole or diastole, and the second portion of each of the cardiac cycles is at least a portion of the other of systole or diastole,
wherein the control circuitry is configured to set the target stroke duration responsively to the sensed one or more features of the plurality of cardiac cycles.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/795,359Filed 6 Aug 2024
Granted: 30 Sep 2025
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification29 codes

A61M 60/178
Implantable in, on, or around the heart: drawing blood from a ventricle and returning the blood to the arterial system via a cannula external to…
A61M 60/268
Including a displacement member directly acting on the blood: the displacement member being flexible, e.g. membranes, diaphragms or bladders
A61M 60/148
Implantable via, into, inside, in line, branching on, or around a blood vessel: in line with a blood vessel using resection or like techniques,…
A61M 60/258
Including a displacement member directly acting on the blood: piston pumps