# US 5,701,919 A · Step-down skeletal muscle energy conversion system

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- Number: US 5,701,919 A
- Document ID: US5701919A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/474,018
- Filed: 1995-06-07
- Granted: 1997-12-30
- Earliest claimed: 1991-09-30
- Assignees: Thoratec Laboratories Corporation
- Inventors: Keith Evan Buck; David John Farrar; Robert Joseph Harvey; Philip Litwak; John Robert Rueff
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5701919A

## CPC

- A61M 60/882: Devices powered by the patient, e.g. skeletal muscle powered devices
- A61M 60/139: inside the aorta, e.g. intra-aortic balloon pumps
- A61M 60/17: inside a ventricle, e.g. intraventricular balloon pumps
- A61M 60/178: drawing blood from a ventricle and returning the blood to the arterial system via a cannula external to the ventricle, e.g. left or right ventricular assist devices
- A61M 60/183: drawing blood from both ventricles, e.g. bi-ventricular assist devices [BiVAD]
- A61M 60/196: replacing the entire heart, e.g. total artificial hearts [TAH]
- A61M 60/232: Centrifugal pumps
- A61M 60/258: Piston pumps
- A61M 60/268: the displacement member being flexible, e.g. membranes, diaphragms or bladders
- A61M 60/295: Balloon pumps for circulatory assistance
- A61M 60/427: the force acting on the blood contacting member being hydraulic or pneumatic
- A61M 60/495: Electromagnetic force
- A61M 60/148: in line with a blood vessel using resection or like techniques, e.g. permanent endovascular heart assist devices
- A61M 60/274: the inlet and outlet being the same, e.g. para-aortic counter-pulsation blood pumps
- A61M 60/405: the force acting on the blood contacting member being hydraulic or pneumatic
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}

## Abstract

This invention provides a simple skeletal muscle linear pull energy convertor which can harness the maximal amount of muscle power for a wide variety of implantable medical devices, including the full range of circulatory support devices. The muscle powered system provides completely implantable circulatory support as an alternative to cardiac transplantation, with a quality of life relatively free from external batteries, transcutaneous energy transmission and other electromechanical hardware.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for surgically attaching a skeletal muscle to conversion means for converting linear contraction of a skeletal muscle into transmutable energy, said method comprising the steps of:
disconnecting only one end of a skeletal muscle from a skeletal structure of a patient;
applying to each face of the end of the muscle a non-biodegradable felt containing a plurality of projecting hooks;
anchoring the felt to each face of the muscle by sutures;
connecting the non-biodegradable felt to the conversion means.

### Claim 2

A method for surgically attaching a skeletal muscle to conversion means for converting linear contraction of a skeletal muscle into transmutable energy, said method comprising the steps of:
disconnecting only one end of a skeletal muscle from a skeletal structure of a patient;
inserting a fan-shaped non-biodegradable felt into the belly of the muscle;
anchoring the felt in the muscle by sutures;
connecting the felt to the conversion means.

### Claim 3

A method for surgically attaching a skeletal muscle to conversion means for converting linear contraction of a skeletal muscle into transmutable energy, the conversion means including a movable shaft having an open loop projecting from one end such that linear motion of the shaft is converted into transmutable energy, said method comprising the steps of:
disconnecting only one end of the skeletal muscle from a skeletal structure of a patient;
inserting the end of the muscle through the open loop projecting from the movable shaft;
sewing the end of the muscle to the belly of the muscle with sutures.

### Claim 4

A method for surgically attaching a skeletal muscle to conversion means for converting linear contraction of a skeletal muscle into transmutable energy, said method comprising the steps of:
disconnecting only one end of the skeletal muscle from a skeletal structure of a patient;
forming connecting means on said skeletal muscle for connecting said skeletal muscle to said conversion means; and
connecting said connecting means to said conversion means.