System and method for improving a heart muscle response
AssigneeThe Guy P. Curtis and Frances L. Curtis Trust
InventorGuy P. Curtis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for improving heart muscle response during a pre-ejection phase in the heart muscle pumping cycle requires a catheter having a pressure transducer and a fluid device mounted at its distal end. Also included is a pump connected to the proximal end of the catheter in fluid communication with the fluid device. A computer will activate the pump in response to a predetermined signal from the pressure transducer to inject and maintain an increased fluid volume in the pumping chamber of the heart for a predetermined time interval Δt during the pre-ejection phase. This supplements the isometric pressure in the heart's pumping chamber in preparation for a subsequent ejection of blood from the pumping chamber.
Claims20
A system for improving heart muscle response during a pre-ejection phase in the heart muscle pumping cycle which comprises:
- a catheter having a proximal end and a distal end;
- a pressure transducer mounted on the catheter at the distal end thereof for measuring a blood pressure inside a pumping chamber of the heart muscle when the distal end of the catheter is inserted into the pumping chamber;
- a fluid device mounted on the catheter at the distal end thereof;
- a pump connected to the proximal end of the catheter in fluid communication with the fluid device;
- and
- a computer connected with the pressure transducer and with the pump, to activate the pump in response to a predetermined signal from the pressure transducer, and to increase fluid volume in the pumping chamber with a predetermined volume of fluid during a predetermined time interval Δt, to supplement an isometric pressure in the pumping chamber during the pre-ejection phase, in preparation for a subsequent ejection of blood from the pumping chamber.
A method for improving heart muscle response during a pre-ejection phase in the heart muscle pumping cycle which comprises the steps of:
- providing a catheter having a proximal end and a distal end, with a fluid device mounted on the catheter at the distal end thereof, and a pressure transducer mounted on the catheter at the distal end thereof for measuring a blood pressure inside a pumping chamber of the heart muscle;
- inserting the distal end of the catheter into the pumping chamber;
- monitoring blood pressure in the pumping chamber with the pressure transducer;
- increasing a fluid volume in the pumping chamber with the fluid device in response to a predetermined signal from the pressure transducer to supplement an isometric pressure in the pumping chamber during the pre-ejection phase, in preparation for a subsequent ejection of blood from the pumping chamber;
- and
- sequentially repeating the monitoring and increasing steps to improve heart muscle response.
A non-transitory, computer-readable medium having executable instructions stored thereon that direct a computer system to perform a process for improving heart muscle response during a pre-ejection phase in the heart muscle pumping cycle, the medium comprising instructions for:
- monitoring blood pressure in a pumping chamber of the heart muscle with a pressure transducer;
- activating a fluid device in response to a predetermined signal from the pressure transducer to increase fluid volume in the pumping chamber for a predetermined time interval Δt, to supplement an isometric pressure in the pumping chamber during the pre-ejection phase, in preparation for a subsequent ejection of blood from the pumping chamber;
- and
- sequentially repeating the monitoring and activating instructions to improve heart muscle response.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.