Implantable damping devices for treating dementia and associated systems and methods of use

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods for reducing stress on a blood vessel are disclosed herein. A damping device configured in accordance with embodiments of the present technology can include an anchoring member coupled to a flexible, compliant damping member including a generally tubular sidewall having an outer surface, an inner surface defining a lumen configured to direct blood flow, a first end portion and a second end portion, and a damping region between the first and second end portions, The inner and outer surfaces of the damping member can be spaced apart by a distance that is greater at the damping region than at either of the first or second end. portions. When blood flows through the damping member during systole, the damping member absorbs a portion of the pulsatile energy of the blood, thereby reducing a magnitude of the pulse pressure transmitted to a portion of the blood vessel distal to the damping device,

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A device for treating or slowing one or more effects of dementia, comprising:
 a flexible damping member forming a generally tubular structure having an outer surface, an inner surface that undulates in a longitudinal direction, and a longitudinal dimension configured to be positioned in apposition with an outer surface of a wall of an artery; and   an abating substance within the flexible damping member that moves longitudinally along the tubular structure,   wherein the flexible damping member is configured to be positioned around at least a portion of a circumference of the artery wall such that, when a pulse wave traveling through the artery applies a stress at a first location along a length of the tubular structure, at least a portion of the abating substance moves longitudinally from the first location to a second location along the length of the tubular structure.   
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 21  wherein the outer surface has a generally cylindrical shape or an undulating shape. 
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 22  wherein the generally tubular structure includes a sidewall having an inner diameter, and, when the flexible damping member is in a deployed state, the inner diameter increases then decreases in a longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 21 , further comprising a structural element coupled to the flexible damping member. 
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 24  wherein the structural element is positioned radially outwardly of the flexible damping member and extends longitudinally along at least a portion of a length of the flexible damping member. 
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 21  wherein the flexible damping member includes a longitudinal slot extending along its length configured to position the flexible damping member around the portion of the circumference of the artery. 
     
     
         27 . The device of  claim 26 , further comprising cooperating sealing arrangements located on or near opposing edges of the longitudinal slot configured to join the opposing edges together once the flexible damping member has been fitted around the artery. 
     
     
         28 . The device of  claim 27  wherein the cooperating sealing arrangements are selected from the group consisting of a suture, a staple, and an adhesive. 
     
     
         29 . The device of  claim 21  wherein the abating substance is selected from a liquid, a gas, and a gel. 
     
     
         30 . The device of  claim 21  wherein the flexible damping member includes a proximal damping element and a distal damping element. 
     
     
         31 . The device of  claim 30  wherein the flexible damping member includes channels extending between the proximal damping element and the distal damping element. 
     
     
         32 . The device of  claim 31  wherein the channels extend longitudinally and fluidly couple the proximal damping element to the distal damping element. 
     
     
         33 . The device of  claim 31  wherein, when the flexible damping member is positioned around the portion of the artery wall, the flexible damping member does not constrain the diameter of the artery wall. 
     
     
         34 . A method for treating or slowing one or more effects of dementia, comprising:
 positioning a flexible damping member in apposition with an outer wall of an artery that delivers blood to the brain, the flexible damping member comprising an elastic, generally tubular sidewall having an outer surface and an undulating inner surface, and an abating substance; and   redistributing at least a portion of the abating substance longitudinally along a length of the flexible damping member in response to a pulse wave traveling through blood in the artery thereby attenuating at least a portion of an energy of the pulse wave.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34  wherein the portion of the abating substance is redistributed longitudinally from a first location along the length of the flexible damping member to a second location along the length of the flexible damping member. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35  wherein the first location is positioned within a proximal damping element of the flexible damping member and the second location is positioned with in a distal damping element of the flexible damping member. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36  wherein the abating substance moves through a channel that fluidly couples the proximal damping element to the distal damping element. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37  wherein the redistributed abating substance increases a volume of the distal damping element. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38  wherein, after the abating substance is redistributed from the first location to the second location, a first inner diameter of the flexible damping member increases at the axial location while a second inner diameter decreases at the second location. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39  wherein, as a wavefront of the pulse wave travels through the blood in the artery, a portion of the artery aligned with the wavefront dilates thereby applying a stress to the distal damping element and forcing at least a portion of the abating substance in the distal damping element to move proximally within the flexible damping member. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40  wherein the decreased second inner diameter impedes at least a portion of blood flow in the artery. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41  wherein a contour of at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface changes when at least the portion of the abating substance is redistributed longitudinally along the length of the flexible damping member 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the contour changes by
 expanding at least one of the inner diameter and the outer diameter of the flexible damping member in response to an increase in blood pressure; and   contracting at least one of the inner diameter and the outer diameter of the flexible damping member in response to a decrease in blood pressure.   
     
     
         44 . A method of treating a blood vessel selected from a left common carotid artery, a right common carotid artery or a brachiocephalic artery, a branch of any of the foregoing, and an ascending aorta, the method comprising:
 positioning an elastically deformable material having an undulating inner surface around the blood vessel such that the undulating inner surface is in apposition with an outer wall of the blood vessel; and   attaching a first edge of the elastically deformable material to an opposing second edge of the elastically deformable material.   
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , further including stretching the elastically deformable material in response to a pulse wave travelling through the blood vessel. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45  wherein the elastically deformable material comprises an abating substance that is redistributed longitudinally from a first location along a length of the elastically deformable material to a second axial location along the length of the elastically deformable material in response to the pulse wave. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 45 , further comprising attaching the first edge of the elastically deformable material to the second edge by engaging cooperating sealing arrangements on or near the first edge with corresponding cooperating sealing arrangements on or near the second edge of the elastically deformable material. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 46  wherein, after the abating substance is redistributed longitudinally from the first location to the second location, a first inner diameter of the elastically deformable material increases at the first location while a second inner diameter decreases at the second location. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48  wherein the decreased second inner diameter impedes at least a portion of the blood in the blood vessel.