# US 2014/0194669 A1 · Supporting a heart > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0194669 A1 - Document ID: US20140194669A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/838,743 - Filed: 2013-03-15 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-08 - Inventors: Stephen Manuel Wildhirt; Andreas Maier - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140194669A1 ## CPC - A61M 60/148: in line with a blood vessel using resection or like techniques, e.g. permanent endovascular heart assist devices - A61M 60/161: mechanically acting upon the outside of the patient's blood vessel structure, e.g. compressive structures placed around a vessel - A61M 60/191: mechanically acting upon the outside of the patient's native heart, e.g. compressive structures placed around the heart - A61M 60/468: the force acting on the actuation means being hydraulic or pneumatic - A61M 60/857: Implantable blood tubes - A61M 60/865: Devices for guiding or inserting pumps or pumping devices into the patient's body - A61M 2205/8243: by induction - 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 A heart support featuring a sheath sized to fit about at least a portion of an adult human heart in a living body and an expandable chamber disposed within the sheath so as to apply pressure against the heart when expanded. The expandable chamber is at least partially defined by a foldable chamber wall that folds with the chamber in a collapsed state, and unfolds as the chamber expands. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A heart support comprising a sheath sized to fit about at least a portion of an adult human heart in a living body; and an expandable chamber disposed within the sheath so as to apply pressure against the heart when expanded, wherein the expandable chamber is at least partially defined by a foldable chamber wall that folds with the chamber in a collapsed state, and unfolds as the chamber expands. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The heart support of claim 1, wherein the chamber wall defines multiple, spaced-apart fold edges. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The heart support of claim 2, wherein at least one of the fold edges is reinforced. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The heart support of claim 2, wherein regions of the chamber wall between fold edges are less stable than the fold edges. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The heart support of claim 4, wherein regions of the chamber wall between fold edges are of a different material than the fold edges. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The heart support of claim 1, wherein the chamber is defined also by opposing surfaces connected by the foldable chamber wall. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The heart support of claim 6, wherein the opposing surfaces each of a shape from the group oval, circular, elliptical, and polygonal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The heart support of claim 6, wherein the opposing surfaces are of a different material than the foldable chamber wall. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The heart support of claim 6, wherein the opposing surfaces are of chamber walls of different thickness than the foldable chamber wall. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The heart support of claim 1, wherein the chamber is defined between surfaces formed at least partially from one or more of the materials selected from the list of polyurethane, silicone, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyamide, and polytetrafluorethylene. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The heart support of claim 1, wherein the chamber is attached to a sleeve disposed within the sheath. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The heart support of claim 11, wherein the chamber is arranged with the foldable chamber wall extending inward toward a center of the sleeve. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The heart support of claim 11, wherein the sleeve forms at least a part of the chamber. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The heart support of claim 11, wherein the sleeve is shaped to fit a natural heart. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The heart support of claim 1, further comprising a fluid supply in hydraulic communication with the chamber, for expansion of the chamber under internal pressure. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The heart support of claim 1, comprising multiple chambers disposed within the sheath and arranged to apply pressure to different parts of the heart. ### Claim 17 A method of supporting a heart, the method comprising: inserting a sheath into a living body; positioning the sheath about at least a portion of a heart within the body, with an expandable chamber disposed between the sheath and the heart, the expandable chamber at least partially defined by a foldable chamber wall that folds with the chamber in a collapsed state, and unfolds as the chamber expands; and then expanding the chamber to apply pressure to the heart. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the sheath comprises an expandable sheath, and wherein inserting the sheath comprises inserting the sheath into the body in a collapsed state and then expanding the sheath to fit about the heart portion once inside the body. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein inserting the sheath first comprises: inserting a catheter into the body and into the pericardium; forming a sealed opening in the pericardium; and inserting the expandable sheath into the body and into the pericardium via the catheter. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein expanding the chamber comprises connecting a fluid supply line to the chamber and causing pressurized fluid to flow into the chamber from a pressurized fluid source.