Abstract: A muscle-powered pulsation device for cardiac support including a muscle energy converter device including a piston arrangement for directing fluid out of an outlet of the muscle energy converter device using energy provided by a patient's muscle, and a hydraulic volume amplification device fluidly connected to the muscle energy converter device. The volume amplification device includes a casing including an inlet and an outlet, the inlet in fluid communication with the outlet of the muscle energy converter device, at least one resilient member positioned within an interior cavity defined by the casing, and at least one piston member movably and sealingly positioned within the interior cavity of the casing and operatively connected to the at least one resilient member, the at least one piston member separating the interior cavity into a first chamber and a second chamber.

Abstract: A method of fixating an implantable heart help device in a human patient is provided. The method comprises the steps of: cutting the skin of said human patient, dissecting an area of the body comprising bone, and fixating said implantable heart help device to said part of the body comprising bone.

Abstract: A low-profile intercranial device with universal power supply includes a static cranial implant adapted for the selective integration of a functional neurological implant. It also includes a universal power supply having a universal implantable power source with a connector.

Abstract: A catheter pump having a drive unit and a catheter. The catheter has a pump head for inserting into the aorta and having a rotatably arranged rotor shall for driving an expandable conveying element provided on the pump head and has, at the proximal end thereof, a coupling section, which is connected to the rotor shaft for conjoint rotation and which can be rotated about a coupling axis. The drive unit having a drive and a drive section, which can be driven in rotation about a drive axis by the drive, the coupling section and/or the drive section having magnet elements for contactless mutual rotational coupling. The coupling and drive axes being spaced from each other by a distance a in the perpendicular direction in such a way that the magnetic field of the magnet elements pushes the coupling section in a direction extending perpendicularly to the coupling axis.

Abstract: A housing having an interior and an exterior. A pump rotor is configured to be received within the interior of the housing, the pump rotor includes a magnet. A stator having a delivery configuration and an operative configuration is included, the stator in the delivery configuration has a delivery diameter, the stator in the operative configuration being configured to be disposed around the exterior of the housing and to form an assembled pump having a diameter greater than the delivery diameter.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided that includes first and second tissue-engaging elements, and first and second flexible longitudinal members, coupled at respective first end portions thereof to the first and the second tissue-engaging elements, respectively. The apparatus further includes a first flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element coupled to a second end portion of the first flexible longitudinal member, a second flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element coupled to a second end portion of the second flexible longitudinal member, and a flexible longitudinal guide member reversibly coupled to the first flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element. The first and second flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling elements are configured to be couplable together to couple together the first and the second flexible longitudinal elements. Other applications are also described.

Abstract: The invention refers to a catheter pump to be positioned in the ascending aorta (11) near the aortic valve (10) of a human being, comprising an elongated sleeve 6 with a drive cable (5) extending through the sleeve and connectable at its proximal end to an external drive source and a drive rotor near the distal end of the drive cable (5) mounted on a drive shaft (4) being connected with the drive cable (5), wherein the drive rotor consist of a propeller (3) being enclosed in a cage (2) and wherein the propeller (3) and the cage (2) are foldable from an insertion position close to the drive shaft (4) to an expanded working position, characterized by means (7, 7a, 2a, 19) for anchoring the drive rotor (3) in the ascending aorta (11) near the aortic valve (10) after insertion. The invention also refers to a method to position the pumping means of a catheter pump in the ascending aorta (11) just above the aortic valve (10).

Abstract: A heart pump including a casing internally defining a substantially spherical cavity (10) housing: a rotating shutter (12) secured to the cavity (10) so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis; an oscillating shutter (14) secured to the rotating shutter (12) and rotatable relative to the latter about a rotation axis transverse to the rotation axis of the rotating shutter relative to the casing; a guide ring (18) secured to the oscillating shutter (14) such that the latter can rotate relative to the ring. The guide ring is arranged to move within a seal formed in the substantially spherical cavity (10) while lying in a substantially slanting plane relative to the rotation axis of the rotating shutter (12) and thereby making the rotating shutter rotate. This allows constructing an artificial heart of very small size that can be driven either by a motor member or by an induced muscle contraction.

Abstract: The invention refers to a catheter pump to be positioned in the ascending aorta (11) near the aortic valve (10) of a human being, comprising an elongated sleeve 6 with a drive cable (5) extending through the sleeve and connectable at its proximal end to an external drive source and a drive rotor near the distal end of the drive cable (5) mounted on a drive shaft (4) being connected with the drive cable (5), wherein the drive rotor consist of a propeller (3) being enclosed in a cage (2) and wherein the propeller (3) and the cage (2) are foldable from an insertion position close to the drive shaft (4) to an expanded working position, characterized by means (7, 7a, 2a, 19) for anchoring the drive rotor (3) in the ascending aorta (11) near the aortic valve (10) after insertion. The invention also refers to a method to position the pumping means of a catheter pump in the ascending aorta (11) just above the aortic valve (10).

Abstract: A medical device for assisting a function of the heart is provided. The heart is placed in the thorax, the thoracic diaphragm is dividing the thorax from the abdomen and the pericardium is surrounding the heart and is attached to the thoracic diaphragm at a pericardial contacting section of the thoracic diaphragm. The medical device comprises a diaphragm passing part adapted to pass from the abdomen, through the thoracic diaphragm at the pericardial contacting section, into the pericardium, wherein said diaphragm passing part is adapted to allow the thoracic diaphragm to move during respiration, when implanted.

Abstract: A device for altering cardiac performance includes an energy absorbing element which absorbs cardiac pumping energy from at least a portion of the heart. The energy may be delivered to another part of the body, such as another portion of the heart, to perform useful work such as providing blood pumping assistance.

Abstract: The heart pump according to the invention includes a casing internally defining a substantially spherical cavity (10) housing:—a rotating shutter (12) secured to the cavity (10) so as to be rotatable about an own rotation axis;—an oscillating shutter (14) secured to the rotating shutter (12) so as to be rotatable relative to the latter about a rotation axis transversal to the rotation axis of the rotating shutter relative to the casing;—a guide ring (18) secured to the oscillating shutter (14) so as to allow the latter to rotate relative to the same ring (18) The guide ring is arranged to move within a seal formed in the substantially spherical cavity (10) while lying in a substantially slanting plane relative to the rotation axis of the rotating shutter (12) and thereby making the rotating shutter (12) rotate This allows constructing an artificial heart of very small size that can be driven either by a motor member or by an induced muscle contraction

Abstract: A device for altering cardiac performance includes an energy absorbing element which absorbs cardiac pumping energy from at least a portion of the heart. The energy may be delivered to another part of the body, such as another portion of the heart, to perform useful work such as providing blood pumping assistance.

Abstract: An approach is disclosed for improving ventricular function of a patient's heart. According to one embodiment, the system includes a pouch that defines a chamber dimensioned and configured to simulate at least a portion of a heart chamber. The pouch has a sidewall portion extending from an inflow annulus and terminating in a closed distal end spaced apart from the inflow annulus. A generally cylindrical outflow portion extends from the sidewall portion of the pouch and terminating in an outflow annulus thereof to provide for flow of fluid from the chamber through the outflow annulus. A valve is operatively associated with the inflow annulus of the pouch to provide for substantially unidirectional flow of fluid through the inflow annulus and into the chamber.

Abstract: A pump apparatus, which comprises: (a) a tubular portion comprising an electroactive polymer actuator that expands and contracts an inner volume of the tubular portion based upon received control signals; and (b) a control unit electrically coupled to the electroactive polymer actuator and sending control signals to the actuator. The pump apparatus can further include at least one valve that is in fluid communication with the inner volume of the tubular portion. The pump apparatus can be used, for example, as a heart-lung bypass pump apparatus. Also disclosed herein is a method of providing circulatory support for patient.

Abstract: Devices and methods for increasing the volume of blood pumped by a heart muscle are disclosed. A therapeutic catheter in accordance with the present invention may comprise an elongate shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending through at least a portion thereof. The therapeutic catheter may further include a cutter having a cutter lumen fixed to the distal end of the elongate shaft, and a mooring shaft slidingly disposed within the lumen of the elongate shaft. A method in accordance with the present invention may include the steps of engaging a muscle of a donor site with a portion of the mooring shaft, penetrating the muscle of the donor site with the cutter to form a muscle tendril, withdrawing the muscle tendril from the muscle of the donee site, positioning the distal end of the therapeutic catheter proximate a pit defined by the tissue of a donee site, inserting the muscle tendril into the tissue of the donee site, and disengaging the mooring shaft from the muscle tendril.