Abstract: An implantable aortic blood pump includes a rigid body having wall extending along a long axis and defining an inflation port portion with an inflation aperture therethrough. The aperture is fluid communication with an inner surface of the body and on a fluid supply, the body is preferably independent of an external brace or an external stiffener, yet still has a cantilevered deformation of less than 8 millimeters in response to a 200 gram weight suspended from a front body edge. A deflecting structure of a membrane deflects in response to fluid pressure so as to pump blood when the pump is secured to a subject aorta.

Abstract: An aortic blood pump is described that is secured to a patient aorta that can be inflated and deflated in response to selective communication with a source of pressurized fluid or air. An expanded stent creates an area in with the pump and inflate and deflate. A system is also detailed including the pump and an external air line external to a patient body.

Abstract: An implantable aortic blood pump includes a rigid body having wall extending along a long axis and defining an inflation port portion with an inflation aperture therethrough. The aperture is fluid communication with an inner surface of the body and on a fluid supply, the body is preferably independent of an external brace or an external stiffener, yet still has a cantilevered deformation of less than 8 millimeters in response to a 200 gram weight suspended from a front body edge. A deflecting structure of a membrane deflects in response to fluid pressure so as to pump blood when the pump is secured to a subject aorta.

Abstract: A pump system has a rotatory shaft and a rotatory drive arrangement coupled to the rotatory shaft for applying rotatory energy thereto. First through fourth pump arrangements are coupled to the rotatory shaft, each pump arrangement pumping a pulse of air during each rotation of the rotatory shaft, the first, second, third, and fourth pump arrangements pumping a corresponding pulse of air sequentially during each rotation of the rotatory shaft. The rotatory shaft has a first and second ends, and a central region therebetween where an electric motor is coaxially arranged. The first and third pump arrangements are coupled to the first end of the rotatory shaft, and the second and fourth pump arrangements are coupled to the second end of the rotatory shaft. Angularly displaced eccentric couplers couple the pump arrangements to the respective ends of the rotatory shaft.

Abstract: An implantable aortic blood pump includes a rigid body having wall extending along a long axis and defining an inflation port portion with an inflation aperture therethrough. The aperture is fluid communication with an inner surface of the body and on a fluid supply, the body is preferably independent of an external brace or an external stiffener, yet still has a cantilevered deformation of less than 8 millimeters in response to a 200 gram weight suspended from a front body edge. A deflecting structure of a membrane deflects in response to fluid pressure so as to pump blood when the pump is secured to a subject aorta.

Abstract: An aortic blood pump is described that is secured to a patient aorta that can be inflated and deflated in response to selective communication with a source of pressurized fluid or air. An expanded stent creates an area in with the pump and inflate and deflate. A system is also detailed including the pump and an external air line external to a patient body.

Abstract: An aortic blood pump is described that can be inflated and deflated in response to selective communication with a source of pressurized fluid or air. The pump includes a structure adapted to maintain implant stability in the face of mechanical and fluid forces to which it is exposed in situ. The pump may include a wall adapted to maintain implant stability by connection of the wall to a stiffening element, such as a stent, a brace, a stiffener or any combination of these. Additionally, the pump optionally includes a wall adapted to maintain implant stability by configuring the interior volume to generally follow the contour of the native human aorta.

Abstract: A cardiac assist device is provided that can be deployed in any region of the aorta by minimally invasive techniques by the way of an inventive fastener that affixes the device to the aorta wall at the site of an aortonomy. The devices and methods described herein allow for improved patient outcome.

Abstract: A process to facilitate growing of cells on a nanotextured percutaneous portal is provided that includes the placement of a nanotextured percutaneous portal partially within a subject. A vacuum manifold is secured to the nanotextured percutaneous portal. Upon coupling the vacuum manifold to a vacuum source, the growth of the cells is facilitated.

Abstract: A device for reducing agent penetration at an insertion site is provided that has a porous inner sleeve fluidly connected to a conduit. A vacuum or hydrodynamic source is fluidly connected to the conduit. The device is stabilized by fibroblast in-growth and inhibits bacterial colonization. A device is also provided that has a conduit having a bore and an outer conduit surface. The outer conduit surface is optionally nanotextured to promote fibroblast adhesion and limit bacterial residency. A sleeve is provided in fluid communication with the bore of the conduit, and is formed from materials characterized by a pore matrix through which vacuum or hydrodynamic draw is achieved in a process to promote stabilization and reducing bacterial colonization by draw fluid from an area around the surrounding the site of the device. The sleeve optionally has a distal nanotextured surface.

Abstract: A device for reducing agent penetration at an insertion site is provided that has a porous inner sleeve fluidly connected to a conduit. A vacuum or hydrodynamic source is fluidly connected to the conduit. The device is stabilized by fibroblast in-growth and inhibits bacterial colonization. A device is also provided that has a conduit having a bore and an outer conduit surface. The outer conduit surface is optionally nanotextured to promote fibroblast adhesion and limit bacterial residency. A sleeve is provided in fluid communication with the bore of the conduit, and is formed from materials characterized by a pore matrix through which vacuum or hydrodynamic draw is achieved in a process to promote stabilization and reducing bacterial colonization by draw fluid from an area around the surrounding the site of the device. The sleeve optionally has a distal nanotextured surface.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of making aortic counter pulsation cardiac assist devices for assisting cardiac function of a patient. The methods can comprise performing at least one medical imaging procedure on an aorta of the patient, selecting at least one active segment of the aortic counter pulsation cardiac assist device based on anatomic information resulting from the at least one medical imaging procedure, and assembling the at least one active segment to accommodate the anatomic information prior to surgical implantation. The methods can further comprise designing individual custom active segment modules to custom fit a patient, providing a series of different individual, pre-manufactured active segment modules that are assembled to custom fit the patient, or providing a range of stock segment configurations manufactured based on previously determined common configurations and selecting one for a particular patient.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of long-term ambulatory intra-aortic balloon pump systems for providing left ventricular cardiac assistance to a patient. The systems can comprise an external drive system for supplying a compressed fluid, the drive system operating in accordance with a control program stored in memory, an intra-luminal balloon pump having an elongate inflatable chamber positionable to be lying completely within a descending aorta of the patient, and a percutaneous access device. The percutaneous access device can be a biocompatible implantable portal comprising a communicative passage through an interior bore and an exterior having a neck region adapted to promote autologous cell growth thereon in an implantable region, the neck region having a plurality of channels extending about the neck region.

Abstract: A pump system has a rotatory shaft and a rotatory drive arrangement coupled to the rotatory shaft for applying rotatory energy thereto. First through fourth pump arrangements are coupled to the rotatory shaft, each pump arrangement pumping a pulse of air during each rotation of the rotatory shaft, the first, second, third, and fourth pump arrangements pumping a corresponding pulse of air sequentially during each rotation of the rotatory shaft. The rotatory shaft has a first and second ends, and a central region therebetween where an electric motor is coaxially arranged. The first and third pump arrangements are coupled to the first end of the rotatory shaft, and the second and fourth pump arrangements are coupled to the second end of the rotatory shaft. Angularly displaced eccentric couplers couple the pump arrangements to the respective ends of the rotatory shaft.

Abstract: A biocompatible implantable portal is provided that has a wall defining a communicative passage through an interior bore. The exterior of the portal has a neck region adapted to promote autologous cell growth on the neck region. A series of channels are provided on the exterior neck region to facilitate autologous cell growth while disfavoring fluid pooling and bacterial growth. Typical channel widths are from 20 to 300 microns, with adjacent channels being separated by plateaus having a width of between 0 and 600 microns. Providing the portal exterior neck region with a texture varying on a nanometer length scale facilitates autologous cell growth. Applying a coating such as a tissue scaffolding matrix to the neck region prior to implantation also facilitates cell growth. A coupling or a manifold encompassing the neck region facilitates the draw of vacuum and/or mechanical protection for the growing cells.

Abstract: A long term intra-aortic balloon pump (LTIABP) includes an enlarged pumping chamber on the order of 50 cc to 65 cc, inclusive. The pumping chamber is an intra luminal, large volume, long term balloon pump. The balloon pump can include tapered longitudinal ends and/or be segmented into a plurality of pumping chamber segments, each pumping chamber subsegment separated by a flexible power conduit link, where the diameter of the pumping chamber subsegments are independent of one another such as decreasing in size as the subsegments are further from the heart to accommodate the decreasing diameter of the aorta. The LTIABP can be used with any skin connector, or can be used with a percutaneous access device (PAD). The PAD can be sized and shaped to be surgically implanted in any desired location of the patient corresponding to the particular entry selected for implantation of a temporary IABP or LTIABP.

Abstract: An inflatable balloon pump can be anchored with respect to a wall of the aorta for endoscopic surgical positioning with respect to the aorta of the patient. After engagement of the anchor member in an endoscopically selected location of the aorta, the inflatable balloon pump can be cyclically inflated and deflated to assist the cardiac function based on measured clinical parameters of the patient. The balloon pump can include tapered longitudinal ends and/or be segmented into a plurality of pumping chamber subsegments, each pumping chamber subsegment separated by a flexible power conduit link, where the diameter of the pumping chamber subsegments are independent of one another. Anchor members can be provided located adjacent at least one longitudinal end of the pump, or each longitudinal end of each inflatable chamber defining the pump, or sheathing at least one of the inflatable chambers defining the pump.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for assisting cardiac function of a patient includes a flaccid inflatable chamber held at a predetermined volume generally midway between fully inflated and fully deflated for performing a periodically scheduled patient monitoring routine for measuring values of the physiology of the patient, and reinflating the chamber after either detecting a dicrotic notch or expiration of a measurement time period window, whichever occurs first. A software program is connectible in electronic communication with the control program for adjusting settings of the drive unit. The software program is capable of one or more of the following functions: retrieving current values of physician programmable parameters, selectively retrieving a history of the drive unit operation including error detection records, displaying a continuous ECG, and/or displaying a single-beat sample of aortic pressure waveform obtained in real time from the patient.

Abstract: An apparatus for assisting cardiac function of a patient includes an inflatable chamber operably positionable with respect to an aorta of the patient, a percutaneous access device implantable with respect to a hypogastric region of the patient and connectible in fluid communication with the inflatable chamber, and a drive unit connectible through the percutaneous access device for selectively inflating and deflating the inflatable chamber in accordance with a control program stored in memory. The control program controls the drive unit in response to a periodically scheduled patient monitoring routine for measuring values of the physiology of the patient. The control program uses measured values as modified in accordance with the control program and physician programmable parameters for assisting cardiac function of the patient.

Abstract: A protective assembly for a protruding portal shields a neck portion of the portal. The protective assembly is well suited for shielding a percutaneous access device during surgical implantation. The protective assembly includes a lid seating pin configured to seat within the interior of the portal and a lid secured to the pin extending over exterior portions of the portal and gapped from the portal face and the neck. Optionally, the pin inserts within a temporary turret engaging the interior of the portal.