Cardiac resuscitation device for percutaneous direct cardiac massage

Abstract

An apparatus and method for cardiac resuscitation wherein the apparatus has an expandable member carried by a rigid stem and placeable inside the chest cavity adjacent to the heart by the tip end of the stem to effect pumping of the heart by applying and releasing pressure to the expandable member via a rigid stem from outside the chest cavity through the chest wall so as to alternately compress and decompress the heart and further includes numerous safety mechanisms to prevent injuries to the intrathoracic organs and mishaps. Compression and decompression may be achieved by moving the expanded expandable member toward the heart and away from it, or by alternatively expanding and contracting said expandable member to effect pumping of the heart.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of direct cardiac massage, said method comprising: 
 advancing a cardiac massage device in a posterior direction through a small thoracotomy in a patient's chest wall to engage a heart surface; and    compressing the heart surface using the cardiac massage device.    
     
     
         2 . A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising expanding an expandable member on the cardiac massage device after the expandable member has advanced through the chest wall.  
     
     
         3 . A method as in  claim 2 , wherein the expandable member is moved to alternately compress the heart against the thoracic spine and release such compression to effect pumping of the heart.  
     
     
         4 . A method as in  claim 2 , wherein the expandable member is alternately inflated and deflated to compress and decompress the heart against the thoracic spine to effect pumping of the heart.  
     
     
         5 . A method for direct cardiac massage, said method comprising: 
 advancing a cardiac massage device through an intercostal space to engage a heart surface; and    compressing the heart surface using the cardiac massage device.    
     
     
         6 . A method as in  claim 5 , further comprising expanding an expandable member on the cardiac massage device after the expandable member has advanced through the chest wall.  
     
     
         7 . A method as in  claim 6 , wherein the expandable member is moved to alternately compress the heart against the thoracic spine and release such compression to effect pumping of the heart.  
     
     
         8 . A method as in  claim 6 , wherein the expandable member is alternately inflated and deflated to compress and decompress the heart against the thoracic spine to effect pumping of the heart.  
     
     
         9 . A method for direct cardiac massage, said method comprising: 
 advancing a cardiac massage device through the trigonum sine pleura of a patient's chest wall to engage a heart surface; and    compressing the heart using the cardiac massage device.    
     
     
         10 . A method as in  claim 9 , further comprising expanding an expandable member on the cardiac massage device after the expandable member has advanced through the chest wall.  
     
     
         11 . A method as in  claim 10 , wherein the expandable member is moved to alternately compress the heart against the thoracic spine and release such compression to effect pumping of the heart.  
     
     
         12 . A method as in  claim 10 , wherein the expandable member is alternately inflated and deflated to compress and decompress the heart against the thoracic spine to effect pumping of the heart.