47 results about "Mechanical heart" patented technology

Suturing rings and methods of use thereof facilitating initial implantation of new and replacement of dysfunctional tissue or mechanical heart valve mechanisms supported by the suturing ring are disclosed. The suturing ring annulus is adjustable to receive and engage the valve frame of the heart valve mechanism within the annulus. An interlocking mechanism applies restraint to fix the adjusted suturing ring annulus engaged against the valve frame to support the heart valve mechanism during chronic implantation. Sutures affixing the suturing ring to the valvar rim can be routed and entrapped between the suturing ring annulus and the valve frame when the suturing ring is restraint is applied. The restraint is released to replace a dysfunctional heart valve mechanism and reapplied when a new heart valve mechanism is fitted into the annulus.

A minimally invasive, implantable monitor and associated method for chronically monitoring a patient's hemodynamic function based on signals sensed by one or more acoustical sensors. The monitor may be implanted subcutaneously or submuscularly in relation to the heart to allow acoustic signals generated by heart or blood motion to be received by a passive or active acoustical sensor. Circuitry for filtering and amplifying and digitizing acoustical data is included, and sampled data may be continuously or intermittently written to a looping memory buffer. ECG electrodes and associated circuitry may be included to simultaneously record ECG data. Upon a manual or automatic trigger event acoustical and ECG data may be stored in long-term memory for future uploading to an external device. The external device may present acoustical data visually and acoustically with associated ECG data to allow interpretation of both electrical and mechanical heart function.

Suturing rings and methods of use thereof facilitating initial implantation of new and replacement of dysfunctional tissue or mechanical heart valve mechanisms supported by the suturing ring are disclosed. The suturing ring annulus is adjustable to receive and engage the valve frame of the heart valve mechanism within the annulus. An interlocking mechanism applies restraint to fix the adjusted suturing ring annulus engaged against the valve frame to support the heart valve mechanism during chronic implantation. Sutures affixing the suturing ring to the valvar rim can be routed and entrapped between the suturing ring annulus and the valve frame when the suturing ring is restraint is applied. The restraint is released to replace a dysfunctional heart valve mechanism and reapplied when a new heart valve mechanism is fitted into the annulus.

Improved, adaptable tissue-type heart valves and methods for their manufacture are disclosed wherein a dimensionally stable, pre-aligned tissue leaflet subassembly is formed and its peripheral edge clamped between and attached to an upper shaped wireform and a lower support stent. A variety of adaptable structural interfaces including suture rings, flanges, and conduits may be attached to the support stent with or without an outlet conduit disposed about the wireform to provide a tissue-type heart valve adaptable for use in either a natural heart or in mechanical pumping devices. The methods include forming individual leaflets with a template and using the template to attach the leaflets together to form a tissue leaflet subassembly. The template and leaflets include a straight edge terminating in oppositely directed tabs, and a curvilinear cusp edge extending opposite the straight edge. The template may include a guide slot in its straight edge and the assembly includes aligning two leaflet tabs with the template and passing sutures through the guide slot and through the leaflet tabs. The leaflet subassembly is mated to a wireform with the tabs extending through commissure posts of the wireform. A support stent having an upper surface matching the lower surface of the wireform sandwiches the edges of the leaflet subassembly therebetween. Separated tabs on the leaflet subassembly are passed through the wireform commissures and attached to adjacent stent commissures so as to induce clamping of the leaflet tabs between the stent commissures and wireform commissures upon a radially inward force being applied to the leaflets.

The method of presenting concurrent information about the electrical and mechanical activity of the heart using non-invasively obtained electrical and mechanical cardiac activity data from the chest or thorax of a patient comprises the steps of: placing at least three active Laplacian ECG sensors at locations on the chest or thorax of the patient; where each sensor has at least one outer ring element and an inner solid circle element, placing at least one ultrasonic sensor on the thorax where there is no underlying bone structure, only tissue, and utilizing available ultrasound technology to produce two or three-dimensional displays of the moving surface of the heart and making direct measurements of the exact sites of the sensors on the chest surface to determine the position and distance from the center of each sensor to the heart along a line orthogonal to the plane of the sensor and create a virtual heart surface; updating the measurements at a rate to show the movement of the heart's surface; monitoring at each ultrasonic sensor site and each Laplacian ECG sensor site the position and movement of the heart and the passage of depolarization wave-fronts in the vicinity; treating those depolarization wave-fronts as moving dipoles at those sites to create images of their movement on the image of the beating heart's surface; and, displaying the heart's electrical activity on the dynamically changing image of the heart's surface with the goal to display an approximation of the activation sequence on the beating virtual surface of the heart

An implantable device for measuring mechanical heart function of selected heart chambers using a heart contraction detection system that includes a magnetic field sensor. The system may be used for monitoring signs of acute or chronic cardiac heart failure, to enable diagnosis of the condition of the heart, to prescribe appropriate therapies, and to assess delivered pacing therapies. Distance measurements within the heart are made using the magnetic field sensor which is implanted at a sensor site in or on one of the right or left ventricle. A magnet implanted at a site relative to the other of the left or right heart ventricle is sufficiently spaced at a distance that fluctuates with expansion and contraction of the ventricles. The magnetic field sensor provides a sensor output signal having a signal magnitude proportional to the magnetic field strength of the magnet, and which is indicative of changing cardiac dimensions.

An artificial heart valve comprising a tubular base body having sinuse(s) of Valsalva and valve cusp(s) provided inside the base body, characterized in that the base body and the valve cusps comprise a bioabsorbable polymer material.

Devices and methods for therapy control based on electromechanical timing involve detecting electrical activation of a patient's heart, and detecting mechanical cardiac activity resulting from the electrical activation. A timing relationship is determined between the electrical activation and the mechanical activity. A therapy is controlled based on the timing relationship. The therapy may improve intraventricular dyssynchrony of the patient's heart, or treat at least one of diastolic and systolic dysfunction and / or dyssynchrony of the patient's heart, for example. Electrical activation may be detected by sensing delivery of an electrical stimulation pulse to the heart or sensing intrinsic depolarization of the patient's heart. Mechanical activity may be detected by sensing heart sounds, a change in one or more of left ventricular impedance, ventricular pressure, right ventricular pressure, left atrial pressure, right atrial pressure, systemic arterial pressure and pulmonary artery pressure.

A tri-leaflet heart valve includes an annular valve base with an inner surface forming an orifice through which blood flows from the upstream side to the downstream side. Three protruding hinges, each with concave sockets on opposite sides, are formed on the inner surface. Each hinge has a downstream face and an upstream face connected by a ridge. Three leaflets are respectively arranged between adjacent hinges. Each leaflet has round pivots on both sides that rest inside the concave sockets, allowing the leaflets to freely rotate in the annular valve base. When the leaflets are subject to a positive pressure from the blood flow, the leaflets are pushed open and allow a central flow. When the leaflets are subject to a negative pressure, the leaflets are closed to occlude the blood flow.

Implantable medical devices (IMDs) for detection and measurement of cardiac mechanical and electrical function employ a system and method for determining mechanical heart function and measuring mechanical heart performance of upper and lower and left and right heart chambers without intruding into a left heart chamber through use of a dimension sensor. The dimension sensor or sensors comprise at least a first sonomicrometer piezoelectric crystal mounted to a first lead body implanted into or in relation to one heart chamber that operates as an ultrasound transmitter when a drive signal is applied to it and at least one second sonomicrometer crystal mounted to a second lead body implanted into or in relation to a second heart chamber that operates as an ultrasound receiver.

A method of operating a cardiac pacing device that optimizes the mechanical heart rate using coordinated potentiation therapy while maximizing the opportunity for intrinsic AV conduction to occur. The method may include adjusting the timing of extra stimulus intervals during coupled or paired pacing to promote AV conduction and to effect changes in rate according to certain embodiments of the invention. Other embodiments may include adjusting the atrial pacing rate to achieve a desired target rate consistent with AV conduction. A mode switch to a dual-chamber pacing mode may be provided according to certain embodiments of the invention to ensure a ventricular rate that meets or exceeds a minimum mechanical rate.

A method of operating a cardiac pacing device that optimizes the mechanical heart rate using coordinated potentiation therapy while maximizing the opportunity for intrinsic AV conduction to occur. The method may include adjusting the timing of extra stimulus intervals during coupled or paired pacing to promote AV conduction and to effect changes in rate according to certain embodiments of the invention. Other embodiments may include adjusting the atrial pacing rate to achieve a desired target rate consistent with AV conduction. A mode switch to a dual-chamber pacing mode may be provided according to certain embodiments of the invention to ensure a ventricular rate that meets or exceeds a minimum mechanical rate.

An implantable cardiac stimulation device and associated method for predicting the hemodynamic response to a rapid heart rhythm. The system includes an implantable cardiac stimulation device and associated sensors of electrical and mechanical heart function. The associated method includes measuring a mechanical restitution (MR) parameter or surrogate thereof, performing a comparative analysis of the MR parameter, and predicting an unstable or stable hemodynamic response to a rapid heart rate based on the comparative analysis. If an unstable hemodynamic response to a rapid rhythm is predicted, a more aggressive menu of arrhythmia therapies may be programmed to treat tachycardia. If a stable hemodynamic response is predicted, a less aggressive menu of therapies may be programmed to treat tachycardia.

A percutaneous cable is attached to a mechanical cardiac pump and is passed through the skin. Sutures can be used to stabilize the cable against movement to prevent disturbing tissue surrounding cable and thereby reduce the incidence of infection. A funnel-shaped tubular device can be used where the cable exits the skin to allow the cable to flex below or near the skin surface as may be desired to accommodate physical activity of a patient. An anchor can be attached to the cable and implanted below the skin surface to stabilize the cable against movement. The anchor can include any one or a combination of a flat mesh material, a bundle of ultrafine filaments, and a barbed filament.

In a method and system for monitoring mechanical properties of a heart in a subject, multiple cardiogenic impedance values reflective of the impedance of the heart in connection with a transition from inhalation to exhalation in the subject are determined. Correspondingly, multiple cardiogenic impedance values reflective of the impedance of the heart in connection with a transition from exhalation to inhalation are determined. The impedance values are collectively processed to form a trend parameter. The value determination and processing is performed over several respiratory cycles spaced apart in time to form a plurality of trend parameters over time. The mechanical properties of the heart are monitored by processing these different trend parameters. The data collection and optionally at least a part of the data processing is performed by an implantable medical device.

The invention relates to a blood pump for assisting blood flow in the heart, in particular to an artificial heart blood pump with magnetic and fluid dynamic pressure hybrid suspension, which comprises a casing 7 sleeved on an inner shell 9; wherein the casing comprises a motor stator 8 and the inner shell 9 comprises a head support component 1, a rotor component and a rear support component 15. The blood bump is characterized in that the rotor component, the head support component 1 and the rear support component 15 are arranged in the cylindrical inner shell 9; the rotor component is arranged between the head support component 1 the rear support component 15; wherein a head blood dynamic pressure suspension cone bearing 2 is positioned at the central head support component 1; the rotor component comprises a head blood dynamic pressure suspension cone 3, an impeller 6, a rear permanent magnet bearing inner ring 10 and a rear blood dynamic pressure suspension cone 13 in series; a rear blood dynamic pressure suspension cone bearing 14 is arranged at the central rear support component 15 and a rear permanent magnet bearing external ring 12 is embedded on the outside of the bearing. The blood pump has the advantages of low shearing force of the blood, less damage to blood erythrocytes and decreased hemolysis.

The invention discloses a mechanical heart blood pump which boosts blood pressure steps by steps, pertaining to the technical field of biomedical engineering, relating to a mechanical heart blood pump for boosting blood pressure. The mechanical heart blood pump comprises a driving stator and a rotor; a controller connected with a driving stator provides a driving power source; the driving stator composed of annular coils is located in an interlayer composed of a cylindrical shell 13 and a tubular cavity 10; a supporting rotor comprises a head guide vane 1 and a tail guide vane 8; the head guide vane 1 is arranged in the front end of the tubular cavity 10, the tail guide vane 8 is arranged in the rear end of the tubular cavity 10 and a rotor between the head guide vane 1 and the tail guide vane 8 is also arranged in the tubular cavity 10. The mechanical heart blood pump is characterized in that: the mechanical heart blood pump is divided into a front grade and a rear grade, wherein, the front grade is a Grade 1 blood pump and the rear grade is a Grade 2 blood pump; the Grade 1 blood pump and the Grade 2 blood pump are respectively driven by the controller. The blood firstly flows through the Grade 1 blood pump to generate a blood pressure and then flows through the Grade 2 blood pump to generate another blood pressure; the two blood pressures are overlaid to reach a blood pressure needed by the human body, thus avoiding the problem that red blood cells are injured by the rotational speed increase of an impeller when a single blood pump works to obtain a relatively high blood pressure.

A multi-mode ventricle auxiliary blood pump controller belongs to the technical field of biomedical engineering and relates to a controller of a mechanical heart blood pump. The controller comprises an upper computer control module and serial port communication, wherein, the upper computer control module is connected with a lower computer control module by the serial port communication, the lower computer control module controls the running of the blood pump and measures and provides status signals of the blood pump for the upper computer control module; the controller also comprises a signal collection module used for monitoring the state of human body, and the signal collection module provides status signals of human body for the upper computer control module. According to the status signals of the blood pump and the human body, upper computer control module can realize six working models which are constant flow rate mode, minimum energy consumption mode, minimum blood damage mode, etc. The design is more humane and reasonable, and can regulate the working sate of the blood pump in real time according to the physiological status of patients, so as to adapt to the physiological needs of the patients; the blood pump controller also can realize low energy consumption, and is beneficial to preventing the situations such as blood damage and the like, thus overcoming the disadvantages of the existing controller.

Noninvasive, MR-compatible methods and systems optically detect mechanical cardiac activity by anatomic (e.g., esophageal) movements. Most preferably, esophageal motion is detected optically and is indicative rhythmic cardiac activities. This esophageal motion may then be detected and used to provide a signal indicative of periods of cardiac activity and inactivity. The signal may be further processed so as to generate a trigger signal that may be input to a MR scanner. In such a manner, MR microscopy may be accomplished to acquire information at a specific phase of the cardiac cycle, for example, in synchrony with periods of cardiac inactivity. Moreover, since mechanical cardiac activity is detected and employed, instead of electrical activity as is employed in conventional techniques, the present invention is immune to electromagnetic interference during MR microscopy. As a result, robust cardiac signals may be monitored and gated during 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional in vivo microscopy. The present invention is therefore especially well suited for MR microscopy of small animals, such as laboratory mice and rats.

Techniques are provided for evaluating mechanical dyssynchrony within the heart of patient in which a pacemaker, implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) or other medical device is implanted. In one example, a set of cardiogenic impedance signals are detected along different sensing vectors passing through the heart of the patient, particularly vectors passing through the ventricular myocardium. A measure of mechanical dyssynchrony is detected based on differences, if any, among the cardiogenic impedance signals detected along the different vectors. In particular, differences in peak magnitude delay times, peak velocity delay times, peak magnitudes, and waveform integrals of the cardiogenic impedance signals are quantified and compared to detect abnormally contracting segments, if any, within the heart of the patient. Warnings are generated upon detection of any significant increase in mechanical dyssynchrony. Diagnostic information is recorded for clinical review. Pacing therapies such as cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) can be activated or controlled in response to mechanical dyssynchrony to improve the hemodynamic output of the heart.

The invention discloses a mechanical heart blood pump which boosts blood pressure steps by steps, pertaining to the technical field of biomedical engineering, relating to a mechanical heart blood pump for boosting blood pressure. The mechanical heart blood pump comprises a driving stator and a rotor; a controller connected with a driving stator provides a driving power source; the driving stator composed of annular coils is located in an interlayer composed of a cylindrical shell 13 and a tubular cavity 10; a supporting rotor comprises a head guide vane 1 and a tail guide vane 8; the head guide vane 1 is arranged in the front end of the tubular cavity 10, the tail guide vane 8 is arranged in the rear end of the tubular cavity 10 and a rotor between the head guide vane 1 and the tail guidevane 8 is also arranged in the tubular cavity 10. The mechanical heart blood pump is characterized in that: the mechanical heart blood pump is divided into a front grade and a rear grade, wherein, the front grade is a Grade 1 blood pump and the rear grade is a Grade 2 blood pump; the Grade 1 blood pump and the Grade 2 blood pump are respectively driven by the controller. The blood firstly flows through the Grade 1 blood pump to generate a blood pressure and then flows through the Grade 2 blood pump to generate another blood pressure; the two blood pressures are overlaid to reach a blood pressure needed by the human body, thus avoiding the problem that red blood cells are injured by the rotational speed increase of an impeller when a single blood pump works to obtain a relatively high blood pressure.

The invention relates to a blood pump for assisting blood flow in the heart, in particular to an artificial heart blood pump with magnetic and fluid dynamic pressure hybrid suspension, which comprisesa casing 7 sleeved on an inner shell 9; wherein the casing comprises a motor stator 8 and the inner shell 9 comprises a head support component 1, a rotor component and a rear support component 15. The blood bump is characterized in that the rotor component, the head support component 1 and the rear support component 15 are arranged in the cylindrical inner shell 9; the rotor component is arrangedbetween the head support component 1 the rear support component 15; wherein a head blood dynamic pressure suspension cone bearing 2 is positioned at the central head support component 1; the rotor component comprises a head blood dynamic pressure suspension cone 3, an impeller 6, a rear permanent magnet bearing inner ring 10 and a rear blood dynamic pressure suspension cone 13 in series; a rear blood dynamic pressure suspension cone bearing 14 is arranged at the central rear support component 15 and a rear permanent magnet bearing external ring 12 is embedded on the outside of the bearing. The blood pump has the advantages of low shearing force of the blood, less damage to blood erythrocytes and decreased hemolysis.

A mechanical heart valve implantable as heart valve replacement comprising of an annular valve body with a central orifice and an exterior surface incorporating a suture ring having a plurality of suture tunnels, and a valve implantation flap assembly disposed on the valve body surface and wrapping around the suture ring. The inside lumen carries the occluder mechanism. The valve holder comprises of at least two parts, both parts having suture guiding grooves on the outer surface corresponding to and matching with the tunnels on the suture ring, such as to form a continuous path for the sewing material. The parts of the valve holder can be detached separately from the valve after taking all the sutures, the part on the ventricular side before lowering the valve into the heart and the other part after lowering and positioning the heart valve in the; desired position inside the heart.

The invention relates to a mechanical heart-failure dehydration plant which is realized through peripheral veins, and a control apparatus thereof. The mechanical heart-failure dehydration plant comprises a blood filter unit, a safe detection unit, a blood and ultrafiltration driving unit, an ultrafiltrated weighing feedback regulation unit, and a control unit, wherein, a pressure transducer in the safe detection unit comprises an absolute pressure component and at least a pressure transducer protector. After the control apparatus of the mechanical heart-failure dehydration plant starts, a CPU executes the following steps that are the step of controlling the forced pre-rinse and the step of controlling the ultrafiltration. The mechanical heart-failure dehydration plant and the control apparatus thereof have the advantages of relatively low use-cost, safe ultrafiltration process, and simple and convenient operation.

A system and method for non-invasively monitoring the hemodynamic state of a patient by determining on a beat-by-beat basis the ratio of lusitropic function to inotropic function as an index of myocardial well-being or pathology for use by clinicians in the hospital or by the patient at home. In one embodiment of the system a smartphone running an application program that is connected through the internet to the cloud processes electronic signals, first, from an electrocardiogram device monitoring electrical cardiac activity, and second, from a seismocardiogram device monitoring mechanical cardiac activity in order to determine such ratio as an instantaneous measurement of the hemodynamic state of the patient, including such states as sepsis, myocardial ischemia, and heart failure.

The various embodiments disclosed herein relate to combination heart assist systems, methods, and devices that include both an electrical therapy device and a mechanical heart assist device. Various operational modes can be implemented using these embodiments, including a synchronized pacing mode, an internal CPR mode, and an internal workout mode.

The invention discloses a mechanical cardiac valve simulating detection device. The mechanical cardiac valve simulating detection device comprises a driving valve, a simulated heart and an accommodating frame, wherein the driving valve is mounted on the simulated heart; the simulated heart is arranged on the accommodating frame; a pair of valve detecting units adopting the same structure is arranged on two sides of the driving valve in the simulated heart; and a blood circulation unit is arranged on the simulated heart. The mechanical cardiac valve simulating detection device disclosed by the invention has the beneficial effects that the mechanical cardiac valve simulating detection device is convenient to observe and ingenious in structure; the simulated heart cooperates with the blood circulation unit to perform blood circulation simulation; the simulated heart cooperates with the valve detecting units to perform fatigue-resistant and pressure-resistant characteristic detection of the valves; through a fixing structure arranged on the mechanical cardiac valve simulating detection device, quick replacing of the valve is performed, so that the operation of experimenters is convenient; and through the cooperation of the above structures, the switching characteristic and the compression resistant characteristic of the valve can be quickly and effectively detected.

The various embodiments disclosed herein relate to combination heart assist systems, methods, and devices that include both an electrical therapy device and a mechanical heart assist device. Various operational modes can be implemented using these embodiments, including a synchronized pacing mode, an internal CPR mode, and an internal workout mode.

A multi-mode ventricle auxiliary blood pump controller belongs to the technical field of biomedical engineering and relates to a controller of a mechanical heart blood pump. The controller comprises an upper computer control module and serial port communication, wherein, the upper computer control module is connected with a lower computer control module by the serial port communication, the lowercomputer control module controls the running of the blood pump and measures and provides status signals of the blood pump for the upper computer control module; the controller also comprises a signalcollection module used for monitoring the state of human body, and the signal collection module provides status signals of human body for the upper computer control module. According to the status signals of the blood pump and the human body, upper computer control module can realize six working models which are constant flow rate mode, minimum energy consumption mode, minimum blood damage mode, etc. The design is more humane and reasonable, and can regulate the working sate of the blood pump in real time according to the physiological status of patients, so as to adapt to the physiological needs of the patients; the blood pump controller also can realize low energy consumption, and is beneficial to preventing the situations such as blood damage and the like, thus overcoming the disadvantages of the existing controller.

The invention discloses anartificial implanted mechanical heart valve bionic test simulation dynamic device which comprises a base and a simulated thoracic cavity. The simulated thoracic cavity is installed on the base, and a rectangular groove is formed in the front side wall surface of the simulatedthoracic cavity. A heart simulation unit is disposed in the rectangular groove, a simulated circulation unit is disposed on the lower side of the heart simulation unit, and a dynamic detection unit is disposed on thesimulated circulation unit. The artificial implanted mechanical heart valve bionic test simulation dynamic device simulates a human thoracic cavitystructure by using bionic silica gel, and theheart simulation unit is arranged in the simulated thoracic cavity, and a mechanical heart active valve is placed in the heart simulation unit. Meanwhile, the simulated circulation unit is arranged in the simulated thoracic cavity, and bionic blood is injected into the heart simulation unit to realize the blood circulation simulation. The dynamic detection unit is arranged on the simulated circulation unit to dynamically detect various indexes of the mechanical heart valve, and thestructure is simple and the operation is convenient.