Abstract: A ventricular cuff is designed to assist a heart to pump blood by applying uniform pressure to a majority portion of an exterior ventricular surface of the heart. A heart engaging structure is preferably provided for releasably engaging the heart to hold the heart in place relative to the cuff. The ventricular cuff includes an outer shell, an inflatable inner bladder and a fastener assembly. The heart engaging structure and ventricular cuff define an upwardly opening chamber sized for receiving a heart. The bladder has an opening for communication with a source of fluid under pressure so that the bladder is cyclically inflated and deflated at a predetermined rate to assist the ventricles of the heart to properly contract.

Abstract: An apparatus for intraorgan administration of medicinal agents, such as, cells, growth factors, drugs and other agents under direct visualization, for example using an endoscope, by an apparatus and method which create needle channels within the target organ and deposits by injection, the medicinal agent in high concentrations at designated sites of the target organ. The device consists of a chamber having at least one retractable hollow bore needle; a reservoir for containing an injectable medicinal agent which is in communication with the needle and control means for extending and retracting the needle from and into the chamber and forcing the medicinal agent from the reservoir into the needle and injecting it into a target organ, said control means being suitable for effecting control through an endoscopic tube. Also disclosed are injection needles having side openings therein for enhanced administration of the medicinal agent to the target organ.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for assisting a heart to pump blood includes a housing that defines an internal chamber for receiving a heart. The housing has a first opening to supply fluid to the internal chamber of the housing. Uniform pressure is applied to at least a majority portion of an exterior ventricular surface of a heart that is placed within the internal chamber so that the heart is substantially uniformly deformed to simulate a systolic phase.

Abstract: An inflation system for independently controlling the rise time and plateau level of a pressure profile applied to an inflatable chamber includes a pneumatic source disposed in fluid communication with a pressure path including a regulation device for establishing respective high and low pressure levels. A supply mechanism is disposed at the output of the pressure path and is operative to alternately expose the inflatable liner to the high and low pressure levels to define an independently controllable rise time.

Abstract: An improved vest design for cardiopulmonary resuscitation is disclosed. The vest includes an inflatable bladder capable of radial expansion to first conform to a patient's chest dimensions and then to apply circumferential pressure. The improved vest design affords ease of placement on a patient without concern for how tightly the vest is initially applied. Also disclosed are various vest designs that reduce the amount of compressed air that must be used for each compression/decompression cycle of the vest. These improvements lower the energy consumption and make smaller and portable cardiopulmonary resuscitation systems possible.

Abstract: A device for monitoring a patient or pacing a patient is disclosed which can safely operate in a MRI system. The device uses unique RF filtering and shielding to attenuate voltages on the leads resulting from the high frequency RF signals produced in the MRI. The device is uniquely shielded to prevent induced currents from disrupting the amplifying and processing electronics. The device uses an optional secondary low pass or band reject filter to eliminate interference from the MRI's gradient magnetic field. The device uses optional inductors placed close to electrodes to limit RF currents through the electrodes. Several embodiments of the RF filter are taught which depend on the number of sensing leads, whether the leads are shielded, whether the RF filter is contained in the electronic shielded housing or whether single or multistage filtering is employed. The device may operate as an extended ECG monitor or may be an implantable MRI safe pacemaker.

Abstract: An integrated system for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and circulation support comprising chest compression means adapted to be positioned over the patient's sternum and operable to compress the sternum at desired intervals and to a desired degree, lung ventilating means including (1) a high pressure ventilator for ventilating simultaneously with chest compression; (2) a low pressure ventilator for inflating the lungs at low pressure between a selected number of compression cycles; and (3) a negative pressure ventilator for deflating the lungs between chest compressions; valve means for selectively operating only one of the indicated ventilators at any one time; means for restricting the abdomen to exert pressure on the abdominal wall; and control means for selectively operating the chest compression means, the lung ventilating means, valve means and abdomen restriction means in a selected sequence and for the period of time desired.