Connecting element for mounting a blood pump or a cannula on a heart

Abstract

A connecting element for connecting a blood pump or a cannula to a heart, the connecting element including a sealing element, which is designed to at least temporarily close an opening formed in the cardiac wall and to be opened via insertion of a preferably cylindrical object in the direction of an axis of the opening.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A connecting element for connecting a blood pump or a cannula to a heart, comprising:
 a sealing element designed to at least temporarily close an opening formed in a cardiac wall of the heart and to be opened via insertion of a preferably cylindrical object in the direction of an axis of the opening, and comprising an anchoring element for permanent attachment of the connecting element on a cardiac muscle of the heart, wherein the sealing element comprises a plurality of film layers, each of which has two films, which adjoin one another along edges.   
     
     
         2 . The connecting element of  claim 1  further comprising a suture ring to be sutured with the heart. 
     
     
         3 . The connecting element of  claim 1  further comprising a connector ring for connection to the suture ring and/or the heart. 
     
     
         4 . The connecting element of  claim 3 , wherein the sealing element and/or the connector ring comprise at least one detent element, wherein the sealing element can be locked with the connector ring by way of the detent element. 
     
     
         5 . The connecting element of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing element comprises a passage channel and at least one self-closing closing element for the repeated opening and closing of the passage channel, wherein the closing element is designed to be opened via insertion of an object into the passage channel. 
     
     
         6 . The connecting element of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing element comprises a passage channel and at least one closing element for the repeated opening and closing of the passage channel, wherein the at least one closing element is designed to close the passage channel when a pressure difference exists along a specified direction of the passage channel. 
     
     
         7 . The connecting element of  claim 5  or  6 , wherein the at least one closing element is formed by the plurality of film layers. 
     
     
         8 . The connecting element of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing element comprises a plurality of freely openable subregions, which have a convex side and a concave side such that the sealing element remains closed when pressure is applied from the direction of the convex side and opens when pressure is applied from the direction of the concave side. 
     
     
         9 . The connecting element of  claim 1 , wherein the edges of various film layers extend at an angle relative to one another. 
     
     
         10 . The connecting element of  claim 1 , wherein the edges of various film layers extend at a right angle relative to one another. 
     
     
         11 . The connecting element of  claim 1 , wherein the edges of various film layers extend radially. 
     
     
         12 . The connecting element of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing element comprises exactly two of said film layers. 
     
     
         13 . The connecting element of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing element comprises more than two of said film layers. 
     
     
         14 . The connecting element of  claim 3 , wherein the film layers are incorporated in the connector ring. 
     
     
         15 . The connecting element of  claim 14 , wherein the films are fastened to the connector ring using a clamping ring. 
     
     
         16 . The connecting element of  claim 1 , wherein the films of the film layers are tensioned. 
     
     
         17 . The connecting element of  claim 1 , wherein the film layers are self-closing. 
     
     
         18 . The connecting element of  claim 1 , wherein each one of the film layers is self-closing. 
     
     
         19 . The connecting element of  claim 1 , wherein the films of the film layers are made of thin elastic material. 
     
     
         20 . The connecting element of  claim 1 , wherein the films of the film layers are made of silicone. 
     
     
         21 . A system comprising:
 a connecting element comprising a sealing element configured to at least temporarily close an opening formed in a cardiac wall of a heart, the sealing element further configured to be opened via insertion of a cylindrical object in a direction of an axis of the opening, the connecting element further comprising an anchoring element for attachment of the connecting element to a cardiac muscle of the heart, wherein the sealing element comprises a plurality of film layers, each of which has two films, which adjoin one another along edges; and   a tool for forming the opening in the heart, wherein the tool for forming the opening in the heart comprises a first component and at least one blade, which are displaceable in a longitudinal direction of the tool relative to one another and relative to the rest of the tool, and wherein at least the sealing element of the connecting element is disposable in a front region of the tool for forming an opening in the heart, in such a way that the sealing element of the connecting element is opened when pressed by the first component of the tool and, subsequently, permits the blade of the tool for forming the opening in the heart to pass through the sealing element.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the first component is designed as a blade guard. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the tool for forming an opening in the heart comprises a sliding element, which forms a contact surface for the sealing element and is displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the tool in order to push the sealing element into the connector ring.