Aortic pressure loss reduction apparatus and methods

A method comprising:

• placing an aortic pressure-loss-reduction device inside an ascending aorta of a subject, the aortic pressure-loss-reduction device including a frame and a material layer coupled to an inside of at least a portion of the frame, the material being configured to impede blood flow therethrough;
• and
• deploying the aortic pressure-loss-reduction device inside the ascending aorta, such that the frame of the aortic pressure-loss-reduction device defines:
• an upstream anchor portion that radially expands against an inner wall of a subject's ascending aorta, such as to anchor an upstream end of the aortic pressure-loss-reduction device to the subject's ascending aorta;
• an intermediate portion that defines a conduit therethrough, such that blood flows through the device via the conduit, at least a portion of the conduit diverging, such that a downstream end of the diverging portion has a greater cross-sectional area than an upstream end of the diverging portion;
• a downstream anchor portion that radially expands against an inner wall of a subject's ascending aorta, such as to anchor a downstream end of the aortic pressure-loss-reduction device to the subject's ascending aorta;
• a first set of sinusoidal struts disposed between a downstream end of the upstream anchor and an upstream end of the intermediate portion, the sinusoidal struts forming a folded portion between the downstream end of the upstream anchor and the upstream end of the intermediate portion;
• and
• a second set of sinusoidal struts disposed between an upstream end of the downstream anchor and a downstream end of the intermediate portion, the sinusoidal struts forming a folded portion between the upstream end of the downstream anchor and the downstream end of the intermediate portion.

Apparatus comprising:

• an aortic pressure-loss-reduction device configured to be implanted inside an ascending aorta of a subject, the aortic pressure-loss-reduction device comprising:
• a frame that is configured, in a non-constrained configuration thereof, to define:
• an upstream anchor portion configured to radially expand against an inner wall of a subject's ascending aorta, such as to anchor an upstream end of the aortic pressure-loss-reduction device to the subject's ascending aorta;
• an intermediate portion configured to define a conduit therethrough, such that blood is configured to flow through the device via the conduit, at least a portion of the conduit diverging, such that a downstream end of the diverging portion has a greater cross-sectional area than an upstream end of the diverging portion, the conduit at least partially overlapping with the upstream anchor along a longitudinal direction of the aortic pressure-loss-reduction device;
• a downstream anchor portion configured to radially expand against an inner wall of a subject's ascending aorta, such as to anchor a downstream end of the aortic pressure-loss-reduction device to the subject's ascending aorta;
• and
• anchor extensions configured to extend from the upstream anchor portion, the anchor extensions being shape set, such that when the device is deployed within the subject's ascending aorta, the anchor extensions exert an outward radial force upon the inner wall of a subject's ascending aorta, to thereby reinforce anchoring of the upstream anchor portion within the subject's ascending aorta;
• and
• a material layer coupled to the frame, the material layer configured to impede blood flow therethrough.