US 6,149,578 A · Piston-action intra-aortic coronary assist device

Abstract

An intra-aortic balloon assist device is used to increase blood flow to the coronary arteries of an injured heart. The device comprises an expandable member that is placed within the ascending aorta of the patient, coupled to a flexible tube made of standard catheter material. The flexible tube is coupled to a blood flow control means within the descending portion of the patient's aorta. When operating, the blood flow control means pumps a surge of oxygenated blood through the flexible tube and expandable member into the area around the ascending portion of the aorta. The expandable member is operated in successive stages. The first stage is a collapsed stage, which is a completely depressurized stage of the member. In the second, blocking stage, the member blocks off the aorta to create a closed volume around the ascending portion of the aorta. In the third, blocking-pumping stage, the member expands in the direction of the coronary arteries simultaneous to the surge of blood supplied by the blood flow control means to force oxygenated blood within the closed volume--blood supplied by the blood flow control means and blood already within the closed volume--towards the coronary ostiums.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A device for assisting coronary blood circulation and cardiac contractile function when placed in the aorta of a patient, the aorta having an ascending portion and an inside wall, the device comprising:

a blood flow control means that alternately increases and decreases the blood pressure within an ascending aorta of a patient in synchrony with heart function;
an expandable member coupled to the blood flow control means;
a flexible tube having an internal bore, a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end being associated with the blood flow control means and the proximal end being associated with the expandable member which is actuable between a collapsed position, a blocking position and a blocking-pumping position;
the expandable member being positionable at a selected location in the ascending aorta and being inflatable in successive stages to the blocking and blocking-pumping positions, respectively, both positions fitting the expandable member against the inside wall of the aorta;
and
the expandable member in the blocking-pumping position extending distally to expand within the aorta, increasing the blood pressure upstream from the expandable member to force blood into the coronary arteries.

3 more elements

A method for assisting coronary blood circulation and cardiac contractile function comprising:

providing a blood flow control means that alternately increases and decreases the blood pressure within an aorta in synchrony with heart function;
providing an expandable member coupled to the blood flow control means;
providing a flexible tube having an internal bore, a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end being associated with the blood flow control means and the proximal end being associated with an expandable member which is actuable between a collapsed position, a blocking position and a blocking-pumping position;
placing the flexible tube, expandable member, and blood flow control means within the aorta of the patient;
positioning the expandable member at a selected location within the ascending portion of the aorta of the patient;
pressurizing the expandable member to the blocking position during diastole to block the flow of blood to the aortic arch arteries and descending aorta;
and
pressurizing the expandable member to the blocking-pumping position to extend the member towards the heart in a piston-like action, increasing the blood pressure upstream from the expandable member to force blood into the coronary arteries during diastole.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Piston-action intra-aortic coronary assist device

Life of this patent

Piston-action intra-aortic coronary assist device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19