# US 12,766,311 B2 · Inflow / outflow cannula anchors

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- Number: US 12,766,311 B2
- Document ID: US12766311B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/699,031
- Filed: 2022-10-05
- Published: 2024-12-12
- Granted: 2026-10-20
- Earliest claimed: 2021-10-07
- Assignees: W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
- Applicants: W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
- Inventors: Scott M. Bryson; Daniel Dominguez; James L. Goepfrich; Edward E. Shaw
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12766311B2

## CPC

- A61M 60/90: Details not provided for in groups A61M60/40, A61M60/50 or A61M60/80
- A61M 2205/04: implanted
- A61M 2209/088: on the body
- A61M 2210/125: Heart
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}

## Abstract

Various aspects of the present disclosure are directed toward apparatuses, systems, and methods that may include an inflow or outflow cannula apparatus. A support structure of the cannula may include an elongate element having a rectangular cross-section, the elongate element being coupled to the exterior surface of a conduit of the cannula by a second graft component. A cannula may include a first stent element configured to facilitate folding of a first anchor portion toward an exterior surface of the conduit and adjacent a second stent element and the second stent element may be configured to facilitate folding of a second anchor portion toward the exterior surface of the conduit and adjacent the first stent element in a delivery configuration.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A cannula comprising:
a conduit having an exterior surface and an interior surface that includes a single piece of a first graft component arranged along the interior surface and being everted over a first end and a second end of the conduit to reduce disruption of fluid flow along the interior surface of the conduit; and
a support structure including an elongate element having a rectangular cross-section, the elongate element being coupled to the exterior surface of the conduit by a second graft component and extending along a length thereof.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The cannula of claim 1, further including an anchoring structure arranged adjacent an end of the conduit configured to engage with tissue and anchor the conduit.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The cannula of claim 2, wherein the anchoring structure includes a first anchor portion having a stent portion extending along the exterior surface of the conduit to facilitate folding of the first anchor portion toward the exterior surface of the conduit in a delivery configuration, and a second anchor portion having a stent portion extending along the exterior surface of the conduit to facilitate folding of the second anchor portion toward the exterior surface of the conduit in the delivery configuration.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The cannula of claim 1, further comprising an integrated collar arranged at one of the first end or the second end of the conduit configured to interface with a pump device and lessen an opportunity for collapse of the conduit during operation of the pump device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The cannula of claim 4, wherein the integrated collar includes a plurality of windows and a third graft component is arranged about the integrated collar at the plurality of windows to secure the integrated collar to the conduit.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The cannula of claim 1, wherein the conduit is configured to interface with a pump device, and the support structure is configured to resist collapse of the conduit during operation of the pump device.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The cannula of claim 1, wherein the interior surface of the conduit is configured to reduce thrombus formation, the interior surface of the conduit having a substantially uninterrupted surface.

### Claim 8

A cannula comprising:
a conduit having an exterior surface and an interior surface, a proximal end and a distal end;
an anchoring structure attached to the conduit adjacent an end of the conduit, the anchoring structure including:
a first anchor portion having a plurality of first contact features and a first stent element extending along the exterior surface of the conduit toward the distal end of the conduit, and
a second anchor portion having a plurality of second contact features and a second stent element extending along the exterior surface of the conduit toward the proximal end of the conduit, the first stent element being configured to facilitate folding of the first anchor portion toward the exterior surface of the conduit and adjacent the second stent element and the second stent element is configured to facilitate folding of the second anchor portion toward the exterior surface of the conduit and adjacent the first stent element in a delivery configuration.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The cannula of claim 8, wherein the plurality of first contact features and the second plurality of contact features each include a first substantially linear section extending from the exterior surface of the conduit in a first direction, a second substantially linear section extending in a second direction, different than the first direction, to an apex, a third substantially linear section extending in a third direction opposite the second direction, and a fourth substantially linear section extending toward the conduit in a fourth direction opposite the first direction.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The cannula of claim 9, wherein the first substantially linear section and the fourth substantially linear section are of approximately a common length.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The cannula of claim 9, wherein the second substantially linear section and the third substantially linear section are of approximately a common length.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The cannula of claim 11, wherein the length of first substantially linear section and the fourth substantially linear section is less the length of the second substantially linear section and the third substantially linear section.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The cannula of claim 8, wherein a space between the first anchor portion and the second first anchor portion is between about 0 mm to about 2 mm.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The cannula of claim 8, wherein the first anchor portion and the second anchor portion are configured to collapse toward the exterior surface of the conduit in the delivery configuration.

### Claim 15 (depends on 8)

The cannula of claim 8, wherein the first anchor portion includes a first stent element arranged along the exterior surface of the conduit, and the second first anchor portion includes a second stent element arranged along the exterior surface of the conduit.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The cannula of claim 15, wherein the first stent element extends along the exterior surface of the conduit toward and past the second anchor portion and the second stent element extends along the exterior surface of the conduit toward and past the first anchor portion.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The cannula of claim 15, wherein the first stent element is looped back toward the first anchor portion and the second stent element is looped back toward the second anchor portion.

### Claim 18 (depends on 8)

The cannula of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of first contact features have a diamond shape and each of the plurality of second contact features have a diamond shape.

### Claim 19 (depends on 8)

The cannula of claim 8, wherein the first anchor portion defines one or more open spaces between the plurality of first contact features, and a graft extends between the plurality of first contact features to cover the one or more open spaces.

### Claim 20 (depends on 8)

The cannula of claim 8, wherein the first contact features and the second contact features are each formed of a stent structure and a graft covering at least a portion of the stent structure.

### Claim 21 (depends on 8)

The cannula of claim 8, wherein the first anchor portion folds toward the exterior surface of the conduit in a first direction toward a first end of conduit and the second anchor portion folds toward the exterior surface of the conduit in a second direction toward a second end of the conduit, wherein the first end is positioned opposite the second end.

### Claim 22

A cannula comprising:
a conduit having an exterior surface and an interior surface;
an anchoring structure arranged adjacent an end of the conduit configured to engage with tissue and anchor the conduit, the anchoring structure including:
a first anchor portion having a plurality of first contact features extending longitudinally outward relative to the exterior surface of the conduit and a stent portion extending along the exterior surface of the conduit to facilitate folding of the first anchor portion toward the exterior surface of the conduit and in a first direction in a delivery configuration, and
a second anchor portion having a plurality of second contact features extending longitudinally outward relative to the exterior surface of the conduit and a stent portion extending along the exterior surface of the conduit to facilitate folding of the second anchor portion toward the exterior surface of the conduit and in a second direction opposite the first direction in the delivery configuration.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The cannula of claim 22, wherein the first stent element extends along the exterior surface of the conduit toward and past the second anchor portion and the second stent element extends along the exterior surface of the conduit toward and past the first anchor portion.

### Claim 24 (depends on 22)

The cannula of claim 22, wherein the first stent element is looped back toward the first anchor portion and the second stent element is looped back toward the second anchor portion.

### Claim 25 (depends on 22)

The cannula of claim 22, wherein the first stent element is configured to facilitate folding of the first anchor portion toward the exterior surface of the conduit and adjacent the second stent element and the second stent element is configured to facilitate folding of the second anchor portion toward the exterior surface of the conduit and adjacent the first stent element in the delivery configuration.

### Claim 26 (depends on 22)

The cannula of claim 22, wherein the plurality of first contact features and the second plurality of contact features each include a first substantially linear section extending from the exterior surface of the conduit in a first direction, a second substantially linear section extending in a second direction, different than the first direction, to an apex, a third substantially linear section extending in a third direction opposite the second direction, and a fourth substantially linear section extending toward the conduit in a fourth direction opposite the first direction.

### Claim 27 (depends on 22)

The cannula of claim 22, further including a connector that is integrated to the conduit configured to facilitate attachment to a pump and reduction of thrombus formation.