Cardiac Compression Device Having Passive and Active Chambers

Abstract

The present invention provides a direct cardiac compression device for individualized support at different locations around the heart, the device comprising: a housing shaped to conform to the shape of the heart and to surround the heart; two or more active chambers positioned adjacent to the housing, wherein the two or more active comprise one or more right active chambers positioned on the right ventricle side of the heart and one or more left active chambers positioned on the left ventricle side of the heart, wherein the two or more active chambers are designed to conform to the shape of the heart, each active chamber comprising an inner membrane sealingly attached along its periphery to the housing and an active fluid individually supplied thereto; a right input connection in fluid communication with the one or more right active chambers to ingress the active fluid into each of the one or more right active chambers; a left input connection in fluid communication with the one or more left active chambers to ingress the active fluid into each of the one or more left active chambers, and a driver in fluid communication with each of the right input connection and the left input connection to individually and periodically ingress and egress the active fluid therefrom, wherein the active fluid individually inflates the one or more right active chambers and the one or more left active chambers to compress the heart.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A direct cardiac compression device for individualized support at different locations around the heart, the device comprising:
 a housing shaped to conform to the shape of the heart and to surround the heart;   two or more active chambers positioned adjacent to the housing, wherein the two or more active comprise one or more right active chambers positioned on the right ventricle side of the heart and one or more left active chambers positioned on the left ventricle side of the heart, wherein the two or more active chambers are designed to conform to the shape of the heart, each active chamber comprising an inner membrane sealingly attached along its periphery to the housing and an active fluid individually supplied thereto;   a right input connection in fluid communication with the one or more right active chambers to ingress the active fluid into each of the one or more right active chambers;   a left input connection in fluid communication with the one or more left active chambers to ingress the active fluid into each of the one or more left active chambers, and   a driver in fluid communication with each of the right input connection and the left input connection to individually and periodically ingress and egress the active fluid therefrom, wherein the active fluid individually inflates the one or more right active chambers and the one or more left active chambers to compress the heart.   
     
     
         2 . The device as in  claim 1 , wherein the driver is configured to ingress the active fluid into all active chambers during heart systole. 
     
     
         3 . The device as in  claim 1 , wherein the periodically ingress and egress of the active fluid within a single cardiac cycle is detected by an ECG signal. 
     
     
         4 . The device as in  claim 1 , wherein the housing is collapsible to allow minimally invasive insertion. 
     
     
         5 . The device as in  claim 1 , wherein the device conforms to and is sized approximating an end-diastolic shape of the heart. 
     
     
         6 . The device as in  claim 1 , wherein the active fluid is supplied to the two or more active chambers at different pressures to provide individual support at different locations around the heart. 
     
     
         7 . The device as in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more right active chambers comprise 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 right active chambers positioned about the right ventricle side of the heart and the one or more left active chambers comprise 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 left active chambers positioned about the left ventricle side of the heart. 
     
     
         8 . The device as in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more right active chambers and the one or more left active chambers are designed to individually ingress the active fluid into each of the one or more right active chambers and the one or more left active chambers independently. 
     
     
         9 . The device as in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more right active chambers comprise 1 right active chamber positioned on the right ventricle side of the heart and the one or more left active chambers comprise 2 left active chambers positioned on the left ventricle side of the heart. 
     
     
         10 . The device as in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more right active chambers comprise 2 right active chamber positioned on the right ventricle side of the heart and the one or more left active chambers comprise 2 left active chambers positioned on the left ventricle side of the heart. 
     
     
         11 . The device as in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more right active chambers comprise 1 right active chamber positioned on the right ventricle side of the heart and the one or more left active chambers comprise 3 left active chambers positioned on the left ventricle side of the heart. 
     
     
         12 . The device as in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more right active chambers comprise 2 right active chamber positioned on the right ventricle side of the heart and the one or more left active chambers comprise 3 left active chambers positioned on the left ventricle side of the heart. 
     
     
         13 . The device as in  claim 1 , wherein the device does not cause inversion of the natural curvature of the heart upon inflation of the active chambers. 
     
     
         14 . The device as in  claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor in contact with the heart. 
     
     
         15 . The device as in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises a right sensor on the right ventricle side of the heart and a left sensor on the left ventricle side of the heart. 
     
     
         16 . The device as in  claim 10 , wherein the sensor is an ECG sensor, an electrical sensor, or a sensor to detect the electrical activity of the heart in contact with the heart. 
     
     
         17 . The device as in  claim 1 , further comprising a sensor in electrical communication with the heart. 
     
     
         18 . The device as in  claim 10 , wherein the direct cardiac compression device forms an intrinsic pneumatic attachment with the heart. 
     
     
         19 . The device as in  claim 1 , further comprising a first supply line connected to the one or more right active chambers and a second supply line connected to the one or more left active chambers. 
     
     
         20 . A method of using a direct cardiac compression device for individualized support at different locations around the heart comprising the steps of:
 providing a direct cardiac compression device for individualized support at different locations around the heart, the device comprising: a housing shaped to conform to the shape of the heart and to surround the heart; two or more active chambers positioned adjacent to the housing, wherein the two or more active comprise one or more right active chambers positioned on the right ventricle side of the heart and one or more left active chambers positioned on the left ventricle side of the heart, wherein the two or more active chambers are designed to conform to the shape of the heart, each active chamber comprising an inner membrane sealingly attached along its periphery to the housing and an active fluid individually supplied thereto; a right input connection in fluid communication with the one or more right active chambers to ingress the active fluid into each of the one or more right active chambers; a left input connection in fluid communication with the one or more left active chambers to ingress the active fluid into each of the one or more left active chambers, and a driver in fluid communication with each of the right input connection and the left input connection to individually and periodically ingress and egress the active fluid therefrom, wherein the active fluid individually inflates the one or more right active chambers and the one or more right active chambers to compress the heart;   making an insertion to provide access to the heart; and   orientating the direct cardiac compression device about the heart to position the one or more right active chambers on the right ventricle side of the heart and one or more left active chambers on the left ventricle side of the heart.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising the step of inserting the direct cardiac compression device inside the intrapericardial space. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising the step of inserting the direct cardiac compression device to surround at least a portion of the left ventricle and at least a portion of the right ventricle. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the one or more right active chambers comprise 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 right active chambers positioned on the right ventricle side of the heart and the one or more left active chambers comprise 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 left active chambers positioned on the left ventricle side of the heart. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the one or more right active chambers and the one or more left active chambers are designed to individually ingress the active fluid into each of the one or more right active chambers and the one or more left active chambers independently. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the one or more right active chambers comprise 1 right active chamber positioned on the right ventricle side of the heart and the one or more left active chambers comprise 2 left active chambers positioned on the left ventricle side of the heart. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising the step of connecting a first supply line connected to the one or more right active chambers to a first supply source and connecting a second supply line connected to the one or more left active chambers.