Biocompatible ventricular assist and arrhythmia control device

A cardiac compression assembly which is intended for use in a cardiac assist device and which includes:

• a pressure plate;
• a contact pad mounted on the pressure plate for gluing and/or suturing the pressure plate to at least one cardiac chamber;
• and
• mounting means for mounting the pressure plate in a cardiac assist device.

A ventricular assist device which can be implanted in a patient user exterior to the heart adjacent at least one heart ventricle and which comprises:

• a pumping means which includes one or more movable ventricle compression assemblies adapted for engaging an outer surface of the at least one heart ventricle;
• operating means for cyclically actuating the one or more compression assemblies, such that a ventricle is, first, compressed to aid blood ejection therefrom, and second, released to permit refilling;
• control means for regulating actuation of the operating means, the control means including control circuitry disposed in an electronic module which is capable of subcutaneous implantation such that circuitry contained in said electronic module can be both programmed and interrogated transcutaneously;
• an electrical power source;
• and
• a casing, said electronic module and said electrical power source being disposed in said casing;
• said control circuitry being connected to the pumping means and/or to the operating means by electrical conductor means insulated within implantable electrical cable means;
• and
• said electrical power source being connected to the operating means by implantable electrical cable means.

A ventricular assist device which can be implanted in a patient user exterior to the heart adjacent at least one heart ventricle and which comprises:

• a pumping means which includes one or more movable ventricle compression assemblies adapted for engaging an outer surface of the at least one heart ventricle, the one or more movable compression assemblies each including a support connected to the operating means and a contact pad on the support for gluing and/or suturing the compression assembly to a ventricle;
• operating means for cyclically actuating the one or more compression assemblies, such that the ventricle is, first, compression to aid blood ejection therefrom, and second, released to permit refilling;
• control means for regulating actuation of the operating means;
• and
• an electrical power source.

A ventricular assist device which can be implanted in a patient user exterior to the heart adjacent at least one heart ventricle and which comprises:

• a pumping means which includes one or more movable ventricle compression assemblies adapted for engaging an outer surface of the at least one heart ventricle;
• operating means for cyclically actuating the one or more compression assemblies, such that a ventricle is, first, compressed to aid blood ejection therefrom, and second, released to permit refilling;
• control means for regulating actuation of the operating means;
• an electrical power source which includes a pack of rechargeable batteries connected to a pickup coil, with the batteries being disposed in a casing capable of subcutaneous implantation such that the batteries can be recharged transcutaneously through the pickup coil;
• and
• implantable electrical cable means connecting the electrical power source to the operating means.

A ventricular assist device which can be implanted in a patient user exterior to the heart adjacent at least one heart ventricle and which comprises:

• a pumping means which includes one or more movable ventricle compression assemblies adapted for engaging an outer side surface of the at least one heart ventricle and further includes a movable ventricle compression assembly adapted for engaging only an apex of a ventricle;
• operating means for cyclically actuating the one or more compression assemblies, such that the ventricle is, first, compressed to aid blood ejection therefrom, and second, released to permit refilling;
• control means for regulating actuation of the operating means;
• and
• an electrical power source.

A ventricular assist device which can be implanted in a patient user exterior to the heart adjacent at least one heart ventricle and which comprises:

• a pumping means which includes one or more movable ventricle compression assemblies adapted for engaging an outer surface of the at least one heart ventricle;
• operating means for cyclically actuating the one or more compression assemblies, such that a ventricle is, first, compressed to aid blood ejection therefrom, and second, released to permit refilling;
• control means for regulating actuation of the operating means;
• and
• an electrical power source including a battery, said control means including circuitry for conducting automatic self tests, such as analysis of remaining battery capacity.

A ventricular assist device which can be implanted in a patient user exterior to the heart adjacent at least one heart ventricle and which comprises:

• a pumping means which includes one or more movable ventricle compression assemblies adapted for engaging an outer surface of the at least one heart ventricle;
• operating means for cyclically actuating the one or more compression assemblies, such that ventricle is, first, compressed to aid blood ejection therefrom, and second, released to permit refilling;
• control means for regulating actuation of the operating means;
• and
• an electrical power source, said control means including circuitry for activating a patient alarm in response to malfunction conditions, such as low voltage of a battery in the power source.

A ventricular assist device which can be implanted in a patient user exterior to the heart adjacent at least one heart ventricle and which comprises:

• one or more movable ventricle compression assemblies adapted for engaging an outer surface of the at least one heart ventricle;
• automatic operating means for cyclically actuating the one or more compression assemblies, such that a ventricle is, first, compressed to aid blood ejection therefrom, and second, released to permit refilling;
• control means for regulating actuation of the operating means;
• an electrical power source;
• and
• a manually actuated pump for moving at least one of the movable ventricle compression assemblies to compress said ventricle.

A ventricular assist device which can be implanted in a patient user exterior to the heart adjacent at least one heart ventricle and which comprises:

• a pumping means which includes one or more movable ventricle compression assemblies adapted for engaging an outer surface of the at least one heart ventricle;
• operating means for cyclically actuating the one or more compression assemblies, such that a ventricle is, first, compressed to aid blood ejection therefrom, and second, released to permit refilling;
• control means for regulating actuation of the operating means;
• sensing circuitry which forms part of the control means and which is capable of detecting a malfunction in the device and/or the heart;
• an alarm which is responsive to said malfunction-sensing circuiting;
• and
• an electrical power source.

A ventricular assist device which can be implanted in a patient user exterior to the heart adjacent at least one heart ventricle and which comprises:

• a pumping means which includes one or more movable ventricle compression assemblies adapted for engaging an outer surface of the at least one heart ventricle;
• operating means for cyclically actuating the one or more compression assemblies, such that a ventricle is, first, compressed to aid blood ejection therefrom, and second, released to permit refilling;
• control means for regulating actuation of the operating means;
• means for recording data produced during the operation of said ventricular assist device, the recording means being implantable and capable of transcutaneous interrogation;
• and
• an electrical power source.

A ventricular assist device which can be implanted in a patient user exterior to the heart adjacent at least one heart ventricle and which comprises:

• a pumping means which includes one or more movable ventricle compression assemblies adapted for engaging an outer surface of the at least one heart ventricle;
• operating means for cyclically actuating the one or more compression assemblies, such that a ventricle is, first, compressed to aid blood ejection therefrom, and second, released to permit refilling;
• control means for regulating actuation of the operating means;
• an electrical power source;
• a rigid support member adapted to be positioned external to the heart;
• and
• at least one resilient band having an intermediate portion surgically implantable in an interventricular wall of the heart, the band having opposite ends which connect to the rigid support member, with at least one of the movable ventricle compression assemblies for engaging the outer surface of the at least one heart ventricle being positionable between the rigid support member and the interventricular wall implantable intermediate portion of the resilient band.

A ventricular assist device which can be implanted in a patient user exterior to the heart adjacent at least one heart ventricle and which comprises:

• a pumping means which includes one or more movable ventricle compression assemblies adapted for engaging an outer surface of the at least one heart ventricle, the pumping means also including at least one resilient band having an intermediate portion surgically implantable in an interventricular wall of the heart and having end portions fixed to two movable ventricle compression assemblies such that actuation of the compression assemblies constricts the at least one resilient interventricular wall-implanted band and thereby compresses a ventricle;
• operating means for cyclically actuating the one or more compression assemblies, such that said ventricle is, first, compressed to aid blood ejection therefrom, and second, released to permit refilling;
• control means for regulating actuation of the operating means;
• and
• an electrical power source.