Epicardial percutaneous device for electrical cardiac therapy

Abstract

An apparatus and method for Cardiac Resuscitation of an arrested heart, for Percutaneous Internal Direct Epicardial Defibrillation, Cardioversion and Pacing with electrodes placeable directly into the chest cavity onto the epicardium via a device entering the chest in a specific area of the anterior chest wall via blunt dissection rapidly creating a passage of negligible size in the chest wall for the introduction of the electrodes, without the need for thoracotomy or for sternotomy and without requiring the use of sharp surgical instruments and without causing pneumothorax. Due to its rapidity of implementation, its safety and simplicity of application, the device can be used by Paramedics in the field at the scene of a cardiac arrest, where the resuscitation efforts are more likely to succeed, for internal direct epicardial defibrillation, cardioversion and pacing.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A cardiac resuscitation device comprising: 
 at least one electrode contacting the heart for electrical therapy of the heart, and means of blunt dissection of the chest wall to insert said electrode into the chest cavity.    
     
     
         2 . The cardiac resuscitation device of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a heart contacting member for cardiac compression, said heart contacting member being insertable into the chest cavity.  
 
     
     
         3 . A method for cardiac resuscitation comprising the steps of: 
 opening a passage into a chest cavity through a chest via means for blunt dissection through said chest wall, and    applying at least one electrode directly on a surface of a heart through said passage.    
     
     
         4 . The method for cardiac resuscitation of  claim 3  further comprising the step of: 
 inserting a heart contacting member for cardiac compression through said passage for direct cardiac compression decompression.  
 
     
     
         5 . A cardiac resuscitation device comprising: 
 at least one electrode contacting the heart for electrical therapy of the heart, and    means for entering a chest cavity by blunt dissection to insert said electrode into the chest cavity.    
     
     
         6 . The cardiac resuscitation device of  claim 5  further comprising: 
 a heart contacting member for cardiac compression, said heart contacting member being insertable into said chest cavity.  
 
     
     
         7 . A method for cardiac resuscitation comprising the steps of: 
 entering a chest cavity by means for blunt dissection,    inserting at least one electrode into said chest cavity, and    applying said electrode directly on a surface of a heart.    
     
     
         8 . The method for cardiac resuscitation of  claim 7  further comprising the step of: 
 inserting a heart contacting member for cardiac compression into said chest cavity for direct cardiac compression decompression.