Implantable heart assist system and method of applying same
An extracardiac pumping system and method for using it supplement the circulation of blood, including the cardiac output, in a patient without any component thereof being connected to the patient's heart. A battery powered pump may be implanted subcutaneously and attached to an inflow conduit fluidly coupled to a patient's femoral artery via a subcutaneous anastomosis connection. The pump draws blood from the inflow conduit and discharges it through an outflow conduit fluidly coupled to a second peripheral artery via another subcutaneous anastomosis connection. The battery may be charged extracorporeally and the pump may be operated in either a continuous or pulsatile fashion in synchronization with the patient's heart. The conduits can be housed in a multi-lumen catheter and a reservoir may be provided which fluidly communicates with the inflow conduits. An additional feature may keep blood traveling extracorporeally within the system at or near body temperature. The system is capable of adjusting outflow from the pump to optimize the mixing of red blood cells in the aorta and thereby enhance oxygen delivery to tissues by minimizing blood cell concentration in the center of the aorta.
1 . A method for increasing perfusion in a renal artery, the method comprising:
providing fluid communication between a pump and an inflow conduit and between the pump and an outflow conduit;
fluidly coupling said inflow conduit with a first location of the vasculature using a minimally invasive surgical procedure;
advancing a distal end of the outflow conduit to a location proximate a renal artery; and
operating said pump to direct blood from the first location to the renal artery at volumetric rates that are on average subcardiac to increase perfusion through the renal artery.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein fluidly coupling the inflow conduit comprises fluidly coupling the inflow conduit to a first femoral artery.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising connecting at least one of said inflow and said outflow conduits to said pump.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing a multilumen catheter that at least partially defining said inflow conduit and said outflow conduit.