Active compression/decompression cardiac assist/support device and method

A device for compressing and decompressing a patient's thorax, the patient having a heart, comprising:

• a first thoracic compressor and a first opposing surface, said first thoracic compressor and said first opposing surface being dimensioned and disposed so that when the patient is placed therebetween, said first thoracic compressor and said first opposing surface are respectively positioned anteriorly and posteriorly adjacent to the patient's thorax;
• a second thoracic compressor and a second opposing surface, said second thoracic compressor and said second surface being dimensioned and disposed so that when the patient is placed therebetween, said second thoracic compressor and said second opposing surface are positioned adjacent to and laterally of the patient's thorax;
• and
• a compression controller for sequentially actuating and deactuating each of said first and said second thoracic compressors, wherein when said first thoracic compressor is actuated, the patient's thorax is compressed and pressure in the thorax increases, so that blood is driven away from the heart, and wherein when said second thoracic compressor is actuated, the patient's thorax is decompressed and pressure in the thorax decreases, so that blood is drawn toward the heart.

A device for compressing and decompressing a patient's thorax, the patient having a heart, comprising:

• a first inflatable bladder and a first opposing surface, said first bladder and said first opposing surface being dimensioned and disposed so that when the patient is placed therebetween, said first bladder and said first opposing surface are respectively positioned across an anterior part and a posterior part of the patient's thorax;
• a second inflatable bladder which is substantially adjacent to and lateral of the patient's thorax, and a second opposing surface, said second bladder and said second surface being dimensioned and disposed so that when the patient is placed therebetween, said second bladder and said second opposing surface are positioned across at least a part of the lateral regions of the patient's thorax;
• and
• an inflation controller for sequentially inflating and deflating said first and said second bladders, wherein said first bladder is inflated, the patient's thorax is compressed and pressure in the thorax increases, so that blood is driven away from the heart, and wherein when said second bladder is inflated, lateral force is applied to the patient's thorax and the patient's thorax is decompressed and pressure in the thorax decreases, so that blood is drawn toward the heart.

A device for compressing and decompressing a patient's thorax, the patient having a heart, comprising:

• a first thoracic compressor;
• a second thoracic compressor;
• a third thoracic compressor acting in opposition to said second thoracic compressor,
• said first, said second, and said third thoracic compressors being dimensioned and disposed about the patient so that said first thoracic compressor is positioned across at least a part of an anterior region of the thorax, and said second and said third thoracic compressors are substantially adjacent to and lateral of the patient's thorax, and said second and third thoracic compressors are each positioned across at least a part of lateral regions of the thorax, and
• a compression controller for sequentially actuating and deactuating said first thoracic compressor and said second and third thoracic compressors, wherein when said first thoracic compressor is actuated, the patient's thorax is compressed and pressure in the thorax increases, so that blood is driven away from the heart, and wherein when said second and said third thoracic compressors are actuated, lateral force is applied to the patient's thorax, the patient's thorax is decompressed and pressure in the thorax decreases, so that blood is drawn toward the heart.

A method of compressing and then decompressing a patient's thorax, the patient having a heart, comprising the steps of:

• applying at least one of anterior pressure and posterior pressure to the thorax and compressing the thorax thereby increasing pressure in the thorax, so that blood is pushed from the heart;
• relieving said at least one of anterior pressure and posterior pressure;
• applying lateral pressure to the thorax and decompressing the thorax thereby decreasing pressure in the thorax, so that blood is drawn toward the heart;
• relieving said lateral pressure;
• and
• regulating said steps of applying said at least one of anterior pressure and posterior pressure and applying lateral pressure to obtain alternate compression and decompression of the heart in the thorax at a rate which provides cardiac assistance.