Apparatus, systems, and methods for percutaneous pneumatic cardiac assistance

A method for assisting cardiac function in a patient suffering from heart failure, the method comprising:

• detecting the patient's electrocardiogram (ECG) to determine a cardiac rhythm;
• percutaneously accessing an implanted port with a cannula;
• alternately delivering and withdrawing a driving gas through the cannula to the implanted port which is connected to a pneumatic effector, wherein the pneumatic effector is configured to be implanted to only a space beneath the patient's pericardial sac and over a myocardial surface overlying the patient's left ventricle and configured to selectively expand and contract within said space;
• wherein the alternately delivering and withdrawing of the driving gas is synchronized with the determined cardiac rhythm to cause the pneumatic effector to compress and decompress the heart at a rate which matches the cardiac rhythm.

An implantable cardiac assist system, comprising:

• a catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end, the catheter body being configured to be advanced through a subxiphoid puncture site and then across a patient's left ventricle;
• a pneumatic effector proximal of the distal end of the catheter body and configured to be implanted to only a space beneath a patient's pericardial sac and over a myocardial surface overlying the patient's left ventricle, wherein the pneumatic effector is further configured to selectively expand and contract within said space;
• and
• an implantable port at the proximal end of the catheter and configured to receive a percutaneously introduced cannula, said port being connected to supply a driving gas received from the cannula through a gas lumen in the catheter body to the pneumatic effector.

An implantable cardiac assist system, comprising:

• a catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end, the catheter body being configured to be advanced through a subxiphoid puncture site and then across a patient's left ventricle;
• a pneumatic effector proximal of the distal end of the catheter body and configured to be implanted beneath a patient's pericardial sac and over a myocardial surface overlying the patient's left ventricle;
• an anchor disposed distally of the pneumatic effector on the catheter body;
• and
• an implantable port at the proximal end of the catheter and configured to receive a percutaneously introduced cannula, said port being connected to supply a driving gas received from the cannula through a gas lumen in the catheter body to the pneumatic effector.

A method for assisting cardiac function in a patient suffering from heart failure, the method comprising:

• detecting the patient's electrocardiogram (ECG) to determine a cardiac rhythm;
• percutaneously accessing an implanted port with a cannula;
• alternately delivering and withdrawing a driving gas through the cannula to the implanted port which is connected to a pneumatic effector, wherein the pneumatic effector is anchored via an anchor disposed distally of the pneumatic effector, wherein the pneumatic effector is configured to be implanted beneath the patient's pericardial sac and over a myocardial surface overlying the patient's left ventricle;
• wherein the alternately delivering and withdrawing of the driving gas is synchronized with the determined cardiac rhythm to cause the pneumatic effector to compress and decompress the heart at a rate which matches the cardiac rhythm.