Temporary heart-assist system

A method for temporarily assisting a heart of a patient, the patient wearing ECG sensors with attached electrodes, and the patient also having an intra-aortic occluding device having two pressure sensors, the method comprising the steps of:

• a. opening and closing the intra-aortic occluding device by an extra-corporeal controller in response to signals from the ECG electrodes and the two pressure sensors;
• and
• b. continuously pumping blood by an extra-corporeal pump from a patient's supra-diaphragmatic artery to an infra-diaphragmatic artery

A temporary heart-assist system comprising:

• a. an occluding device positionable in a patient's descending aorta, the occluding device having a pressure sensor;
• b. an extra-corporeal controller electrically connectable to ECG electrodes and to the pressure sensor, and coupled to the occluding device;
• c. an extra-corporeal pump electrically coupled to the extra-corporeal controller, the pump having an inlet connectable to a patient's supra-diaphragmatic artery, and having an outlet connectable to the patient's infra-diaphragmatic artery.

A temporary heart-assist system comprising:

• a. a balloon positionable in a patient's descending aorta, the balloon having two pressure sensors;
• b. an extra-corporeal controller electrically connectable to ECG electrodes and to the two pressure sensors, and pneumatically coupled to the balloon;
• c. an extra-corporeal pump electrically coupled to the extra-corporeal controller, the pump having an inlet connectable to a patient's supra-diaphragmatic artery, and having an outlet connectable to the patient's infra-diaphragmatic artery.