Intrapericardial assist method
OwnerPeter J. Wilkinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A surgical method for assisting cardiac function utilizes a balloon initially in a collapsed configuration. The balloon is inserted onto an intrapericardial space about a patient's heart and is disposed about one portion of the patient's heart. The method further includes inflating the balloon in the intrapericardial space to compress one portion of the patient's heart. A lower end portion of the patient's heart is separately compressed by an additional instrumentality to reduce ventricular volume.
Claims19
A surgical method for assisting cardiac function, comprising:
- inserting a device into a patient;
- applying said device to a lower end portion of the patient's heart so as to compress and at least partially close off lower portions of both ventricles of the heart;
- additionally inserting at least one balloon into an intrapericardial space about the patient's heart;
- and
- inflating said balloon in said intrapericardial space to place a compressive pressure on the patient's heart sufficient to force blood from the heart.
A device for assisting cardiac function, comprising:
- a first balloon configured to be inserted into an intrapericardial space about a lower portion of a patient's heart;
- a second balloon configured to be inserted into said intrapericardial space about an upper portion of the patient's heart;
- means connected to said first balloon and said second balloon for repeatedly inflating and alternately deflating said second balloon and for inflating and maintaining said first balloon in an expanded configuration during the inflation and deflation of said second balloon.
A method for reducing ventricular volume, comprising:
- inserting a catheter into a ventricle of a patient's heart;
- deploying a tensile member from a leading end of said catheter;
- attaching said tensile member to the patient's heart;
- and
- exerting tension on said tensile member to draw walls of the patient's heart towards one another to reduce the volume of at least one ventricle of the patient's heart.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.