Blood circulation assistance device

A method of providing counterpulsation to the blood circulation of an individual comprising the steps of:

• providing a blood circulation assistance device comprising:
• at least one inflatable bladder, moveable between an expanded and a contracted form;
• pump means, in fluid communication with the at least one inflatable bladder, for moving the at least one inflatable bladder from the contracted form to the expanded form;
• the pump means comprising a centrifugal impeller rotatable about an axis to effect pumping, the impeller being moveable axially between first and second positions to effect a reversal of the direction of pumping;
• and an outer cuff, surrounding at least a portion of the at least one inflatable bladder, and providing an outer limiting extent to the movement of the at least one inflatable bladder;
• locating the outer cuff about a blood conduit in the individual, the at least one inflatable bladder being between the blood conduit and the outer cuff;
• monitoring the cardiac cycle of the individual;
• and
• effecting counterpulsation on the blood conduit by operating the pump means to move the at least one inflatable bladder from the contracted form to the expanded form at diastole, the at least one inflatable bladder thus pressing against the outer limiting extent of the outer cuff and compressing the blood conduit.

A blood circulation assistance device, for location around a blood conduit, the device comprising:

• solid state compression means moveable between a contracted form and an expanded form, for compressing the blood conduit to provide counterpulsation,
• control means in communication with the solid state compression means, the
• control means being capable of monitoring the cardiac cycle of an individual and triggering the solid state compression means to move to the expanded form at diastole;
• and
• an outer cuff surrounding at least a portion of the solid state compression
• means, providing an outer limiting extent to the movement of the solid state compression means, the solid state compression means being locatable between the blood conduit and the outer cuff such that, in its expanded form, the solid state compression means presses against the outer limiting extent of the outer cuff to compress the blood conduit.