Biological fluid pumping means and method

A portable means for pumping biological fluid comprising:

• a portable container means containing;
• a solenoid means including;
• a housing means having opposite open ends and a cavity between the opposite open ends;
• a tube means having a longitudinal axis, which is reciprocally movable in the cavity between a resting position and an opposite position along the longitudinal axis;
• a coil means for causing linear movement of the tube means from a resting position in a first direction through the cavity;
• a means for causing resilient linear movement of the tube means in a second direction opposite to the first direction through the cavity to bias the tube means to the resting position;
• the tube means comprising:
• a tubular member having opposite open ends;
• a magnetizable means surrounding at least a portion of the tubular member;
• a connection means between each opposite open end of the tubular member and stationary inlet and outlet conduits, the connection means being expandable and retractable during reciprocation of the tube means;
• movement of the tube means from the resting position in the first direction causing the one way flow resistance means to allow a volume of biological fluid to pass from inlet side to outlet side of the one way flow restriction means;
• and
• movement of the tube means in the second direction causing the one-way flow resistance means to move a volume of biological fluid on the outlet side of the one-way flow resistance means out of the outlet, to pump biological fluids so that reciprocation of the tube means in combination with the operation of the one-way flow resistance means causes accelerative and inertial flow of the fluid.

A portable ventricular assist means for temporary maintenance of sufficient pumping of blood through a patient comprising:

• a portable carrying case;
• a pumping means inside the case, the pumping means including an inlet port and an outlet port for blood;
• connection means for putting tubing and cannula in fluid communication with the inlet port and outlet port;
• power means within the case for supplying electrical power to the pumping means;
• a tubular member having a longitudinal axis and which is linearly reciprocable along the axis;
• a magnetized piece attached to the tubular member;
• expandable tubular sleeves connected at first ends to opposite ends of the tubular member, and connected at second ends to stationary conduits which are in fluid communication with the inlet and outlet ports, the sleeves allowing linear reciprocation of the tubular member between the stationary conduits;
• one way valve means positioned within the tubular member;
• coil means positioned relative to the magnetized piece on the tubular member to draw the tubular member towards the inlet port and cause opening of the one-way valve means which electrically energized;
• bias means for restoring the tubular member to an original position and causing closing of the one-way valve means when the coil means is not electrically energized;
• the one way valve means reciprocating with the tubular member upon alternating periodic energization of the coil means to pump blood between the inlet and outlet ports.

A method of pumping biological fluid comprising:

• connecting first and second fluid conduits in fluid communication with a biological fluid;
• placing opposite ends a movable hollow tube having a one-way flow restriction means positioned therein in fluid communication with the first and second fluid conduits by connecting expandable and contractible tubular portions between opposite ends of the hollow tube and the first and second fluid conduits;
• reciprocating the hollow tube by reciprocation means which is immediately adjacent the hollow tube so that the hollow tube reciprocates between the expandable and contractible tubular positions;
• and
• controlling operation of the reciprocation means to cause desired reciprocation of the hollow tube to alternatingly move the tube in a first direction to cause the flow restriction means to allow a volume biological fluid through, and move the tube in a second direction to allow the flow restriction means to move a volume of biological fluid previously passing through the flow restriction means out of the tube, and draw an additional volume of biological fluid into the tube.

A method of ventricular assistance to a patient comprising:

• putting the patient's circulatory system in fluid communication with an inlet port and an outlet port;
• connecting a movable hollow fluid conduit between the inlet and outlet port by connecting expandable and contractible tubular portions between opposite ends of the hollow tube and the first and second fluid conduits;
• positioning a one-way flow restriction means in the movable hollow fluid conduit;
• and
• reciprocating the movable fluid conduit by a reciprocation means which is immediately adjacent to hollow tube so that the hollow tube reciprocates between the expandable and contractible tubular portions to alternatingly lessen flow restriction when moving towards the inlet port, and increase flow restriction when moving towards the outlet port, to capture succeeding volumes of blood and move the succeeding volumes of blood from the inlet to outlet ports.