Method for preventing thrombus formation

Abstract

The present invention provides devices and methods for preventing or significantly reducing the risk of thrombus formation. More specifically, the devices and methods of the present invention provide energy to blood flowing within a chamber or vessel to prevent or reduce blood stasis and thereby prevent or significantly reduce the risk of thrombus formation. The present invention is ideally suited for prevention or reduction of risk of blood clot formation in the atria in patients with atrial fibrillation, in blood vessels of patients at risk of clot formation, in areas adjacent to, or on, artificial heart valves or other artificial cardiovascular devices, and the like.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A method for preventing thrombus formation or reducing the risk of thrombus formation in a patient at risk for thrombus formation, said method comprising providing the patient with a source of energy near, adjacent to, or within a vessel or chamber containing flowing blood and activating the source of energy to provide energy to the flowing blood within the vessel or chamber whereby blood movement within the vessel or chamber is increased, thereby preventing thrombus formation or reducing the risk of thrombus formation.  
     
     
         2 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the source of energy is based on ultrasonic energy, vibrational energy, mechanical energy, heat energy, microwave energy, magnetic energy, or other electromagnetic based energy.  
     
     
         3 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the source of energy is based on ultrasonic energy.  
     
     
         4 . The method as defined in  claim 3 , wherein the ultrasonic energy is provided by a piezoelectric transducer which generates high-frequency ultrasound energy.  
     
     
         5 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the vessel or chamber is adjacent to or within the heart.  
     
     
         6 . The method as defined in  claim 4 , wherein the vessel or chamber is adjacent to or within the heart.  
     
     
         7 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the source of energy comprises a transducer located near, adjacent to, or within the vessel or chamber to provide the energy and a remote controller in electrical communication to the transducer and located in a remote location on or within the patient, wherein the remote controller contains a power source and microelectronic circuits to operate and control the transducer.  
     
     
         8 . The method as defined in  claim 4 , wherein the source of energy comprises a transducer located near, adjacent to, or within the vessel or chamber to provide the energy and a remote controller in electrical communication to the transducer and located in a remote location on or within the patient, wherein the remote controller contains a power source and microelectronic circuits to operate and control the transducer.  
     
     
         9 . The method as defined in  claim 7 , wherein the remote controller further contains a radio-frequency circuit and a device antenna and the source of energy further comprises an electronic communication device external to the patient which is in communication with the remote controller via the radio-frequency circuit and the device antenna and can be used by a health care provider to program and control the source of energy.  
     
     
         10 . The method as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the remote controller further contains a radio-frequency circuit and a device antenna and the source of energy further comprises an electronic communication device external to the patient which is in communication with the remote controller via the radio-frequency circuit and the device antenna and can be used by a health care provider to program and control the source of energy.  
     
     
         11 . The method as defined in  claim 4 , wherein a diverging acoustic lens is attached to the piezoelectric transducer to provide a wider area of high-frequency ultrasound energy.  
     
     
         12 . The method as defined in  claim 4 , wherein a converging acoustic lens is attached to the piezoelectric transducer to provide a more focused area of high-frequency ultrasound energy.  
     
     
         13 . An implantable device comprising a source of energy to be implanted in a patient near, adjacent to, or within a vessel or chamber containing flowing blood whereby the source of energy, when activated, provides energy to the flowing blood within the vessel or chamber so that blood movement within the vessel or chamber is increased.  
     
     
         14 . The implantable device as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the source of energy is based on ultrasonic energy, vibrational energy, mechanical energy, heat energy, microwave energy, magnetic energy, or other electromagnetic based energy.  
     
     
         15 . The implantable device as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the source of energy is based on ultrasonic energy.  
     
     
         16 . The implantable device as defined in  claim 15 , wherein the ultrasonic energy is provided by a piezoelectric transducer which generates high-frequency ultrasound energy.  
     
     
         17 . The implantable device as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the vessel or chamber is adjacent to or within the heart.  
     
     
         18 . The implantable device as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the vessel or chamber is adjacent to or within the heart.  
     
     
         19 . The implantable device as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the source of energy comprises a transducer located near, adjacent to, or within the vessel or chamber to provide the energy and a remote controller in electrical communication to the transducer and located in a remote location on or within the patient, wherein the remote controller contains a power source and microelectronic circuits to operate and control the transducer.  
     
     
         20 . The implantable device as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the source of energy comprises a transducer located near, adjacent to, or within the vessel or chamber to provide the energy and a remote controller in electrical communication to the transducer and located in a remote location on or within the patient, wherein the remote controller contains a power source and microelectronic circuits to operate and control the transducer.  
     
     
         21 . The implantable device as defined in  claim 19 , wherein the remote controller further contains a radio-frequency circuit and a device antenna and the source of energy further comprises an electronic communication device external to the patient which is in communication with the remote controller via the radio-frequency circuit and the device antenna and can be used by a health care provider to program and control the source of energy.  
     
     
         22 . The implantable device as defined in  claim 19 , wherein the remote controller further contains a radio-frequency circuit and a device antenna and the source of energy further comprises an electronic communication device external to the patient which is in communication with the remote controller via the radio-frequency circuit and the device antenna and can be used by a health care provider to program and control the source of energy.  
     
     
         23 . The implantable device as defined in  claim 14 , wherein a diverging acoustic lens is attached to the piezoelectric transducer to provide a wider area of high-frequency ultrasound energy.  
     
     
         24 . The implantable device as defined in  claim 14 , wherein a converging acoustic lens is attached to the piezoelectric transducer to provide a more focused area of high-frequency ultrasound energy.  
     
     
         25 . A method for improving blood flow within a vessel or chamber in a patient, said method comprising providing the patient with a source of energy near, adjacent to, or within a vessel or chamber containing flowing blood and activating the source of energy to provide energy to the flowing blood within the vessel or chamber whereby blood movement within the vessel or chamber is increased, thereby improving blood flow with the vessel or chamber.  
     
     
         26 . The method as defined in  claim 25 , wherein the source of energy is based on ultrasonic energy, vibrational energy, mechanical energy, heat energy, microwave energy, magnetic energy, or other electromagnetic based energy.  
     
     
         27 . The method as defined in  claim 25 , wherein the source of energy is based on ultrasonic energy.  
     
     
         28 . The method as defined in  claim 27 , wherein the ultrasonic energy is provided by a piezoelectric transducer which generates high-frequency ultrasound energy.  
     
     
         29 . The method as defined in  claim 25 , wherein the vessel or chamber is adjacent to or within the heart.  
     
     
         30 . The method as defined in  claim 28 , wherein the vessel or chamber is adjacent to or within the heart.  
     
     
         31 . The method as defined in  claim 25 , wherein the source of energy comprises a transducer located near, adjacent to, or within the vessel or chamber to provide the energy and a remote controller in electrical communication to the transducer and located in a remote location on or within the patient, wherein the remote controller contains a power source and microelectronic circuits to operate and control the transducer.  
     
     
         32 . The method as defined in  claim 28 , wherein the source of energy comprises a transducer located near, adjacent to, or within near, adjacent to, or within the vessel or chamber to provide the energy and a remote controller in electrical communication to the transducer and located in a remote location on or within the patient, wherein the remote controller contains a power source and microelectronic circuits to operate and control the transducer.  
     
     
         33 . The method as defined in  claim 31 , wherein the remote controller further contains a radio-frequency circuit and a device antenna and the source of energy further comprises an electronic communication device external to the patient which is in communication with the remote controller via the radio-frequency circuit and the device antenna and can be used by a health care provider to program and control the source of energy.  
     
     
         34 . The method as defined in  claim 32 , wherein the remote controller further contains a radio-frequency circuit and a device antenna and the source of energy further comprises an electronic communication device external to the patient which is in communication with the remote controller via the radio-frequency circuit and the device antenna and can be used by a health care provider to program and control the source of energy.  
     
     
         35 . The method as defined in  claim 28 , wherein a diverging acoustic lens is attached to the piezoelectric transducer to provide a wider area of high-frequency ultrasound energy.  
     
     
         36 . The method as defined in  claim 28 , wherein a converging acoustic lens is attached to the piezoelectric transducer to provide a more focused area of high-frequency ultrasound energy.