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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7637880 | Device for the epicardial support and/or resumption of cardiac activity A device for epicardial support and/or the assuming of cardiac activity having a double membrane (1) having an elastic inner membrane (2) and a non-expandable outer membrane (3) as well as a closed cavity (4) formed therebetween which can... | 12/29/2009 |
| 7291105 | Self-anchoring cardiac harness A self-anchoring cardiac harness is configured to fit at least a portion of a patient's heart and includes a tissue engaging element for frictionally engaging an outer surface of a heart. The engaging element produces sufficient friction relative to the outer surfac... | 11/06/2007 |
| 7212869 | Lead retention means A medical device having retention means extending along a length of an elongate body of the medical device including a plurality of projections adapted to interfere with a wall of a generally tubular vessel to retain the body within the vessel. ... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7172551 | Cyclical pressure coronary assist pump An intravascular pump, which may be a left ventricle assist device, comprising a wall defining a pumping chamber, the wall support by struts, the struts attached to or part of an actuation system to move the wall from an expanded position to a contracted position an... | 02/06/2007 |
| 7144365 | Implantable heart assist system and method of applying same An extracardiac pumping for supplementing the circulation of blood, including the cardiac output, in a patient without any component thereof being connected to the patient's heart, and method of using same. One embodiment of the extracardiac system comprises a pump ... | 12/05/2006 |
| 7125376 | Implantable heart assist system and method of applying same An extracardiac pumping for supplementing the circulation of blood, including the cardiac output, in a patient without any component thereof being connected to the patient's heart, and methods of using same. One embodiment of the intravascular extracardiac system co... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7060023 | Pericardium reinforcing devices and methods of using them This is a surgical device and a method of using it. In particular, the device is one for reinforcing the pericardial sac surrounding the heart to assist in the treatment of congestive heart failure. The device, generically, is an enclosure having an interior and an ... | 06/13/2006 |
| 7029454 | Milking device Provided is a breast pump for the mother's milk, which makes it possible to obtain universal milk expression data without being affected by an individual difference, for example. The breast pump is composed of a collection container, a milk expressing member, and a ... | 04/18/2006 |
| 7022064 | Cardiac support with controlled ventricular pressure A jacket of biological compatible material has an internal volume dimensioned for an apex of the heart to be inserted into the volume and for the jacket to be slipped over the heart. The jacket has a longitudinal dimension between upper and lower ends sufficient for... | 04/04/2006 |
| 7004976 | Biopolymers modified with superoxide dismutase mimics This invention provides modified biopolymers comprising biopolymers attached to at least one non-proteinaceous catalyst capable of dismutating superoxide in the biological system or precursor ligand thereof. The invention further provides pharmaceutical compositions... | 02/28/2006 |
| 6994093 | Ventricular restoration shaping apparatus and method of use Apparatuses and methods are provided to reconstruct an enlarged left ventricle of a human heart, using a shaper, having a size and shape substantially equal to the size and shape of an appropriate left ventricle, wherein the shaper is adapted to be temporarily place... | 02/07/2006 |
| 6951533 | Organ manipulation assistance during surgical procedure The invention provides techniques for securely engaging an organ, such as a beating heart, with a manipulating device. A bag-like device may be deployed around a substantial volume of the organ and the manipulating device. In one embodiment, the bag-like device may ... | 10/04/2005 |
| 6918870 | Assist device for the failing heart A heart actuator device for use in heart assist apparatus, which device includes a paddle-like main body. The main body has a heart compressing wall, which in use is adapted to be affixed to at least a region of heart, and a distal wall, which in use is adapted to b... | 07/19/2005 |
| 6902524 | Cardiac disease treatment and device A jacket of biological compatible material has an internal volume dimensioned for an apex of the heart to be inserted into the volume and for the jacket to be slipped over the heart. The jacket has a longitudinal dimension between upper and lower ends sufficient for... | 06/07/2005 |
| 6846296 | Apparatus and method for detachably securing a device to a natural heart Methods and apparatus are disclosed for attaching cardiac devices onto a natural heart by employing arrays of gripping elements, such as hooks or barbs. The gripping elements are designed to penetrate and lodge themselves in the epicardial tissue in order to secure ... | 01/25/2005 |
| 6790172 | Tissue resection device, system and method A resection device and method permits safe and efficient encapsulation, isolation and resection of body tissue. The device includes a sheath of flexible and severable material configured to receive the body tissue to be resectioned as it is drawn therein. The sheath... | 09/14/2004 |
| 6699259 | Minimally invasive direct cardiac massage device and method A minimally invasive device for performing direct cardiac massage including an inflatable bladder mounted on a rigid inflation tube. The rigid inflation tube is used to push the bladder into the sternocostal space through an incision in the upper abdomen ... | 03/02/2004 |
| 6485407 | Tissue resection device, system and method A resection device and method permits safe and efficient encapsulation, isolation and resection of body tissue. The device includes a sheath of flexible and severable material configured to receive the body tissue to be resectioned as it is drawn therein.... | 11/26/2002 |
| 6464655 | Electrically-controllable multi-fingered resilient heart compression devices Soft, multi-fingered resilient robotic fingers for selectively assisting the ventricles, and in particular the left ventricle, of a weak heart to produce internal pressure and to pump blood from one or more sides, in synchrony with the natural systolic co... | 10/15/2002 |
| 6406444 | Cardiac message apparatus A device for performing minimally invasive closed chest heart massage comprises a support having a plurality of curved, deployable struts, optionally carrying a sheet or inflatable bladder for engaging the pericardium. The struts are delivered to the spac... | 06/18/2002 |
| 6328689 | Lung constriction apparatus and method A lung constriction device and method provide lung air leak suppression or lung volume reduction. The lung constriction device includes a jacket of flexible material. The jacket is configured to cover at least a portion of a lung. The jacket is further co... | 12/11/2001 |
| 6076013 | Apparatus and methods for treating congestive heart failure Apparatus and method for the treatment of congestive heart failure are disclosed that utilize a cuff that surrounds the heart and constrains cardiac dilation, while electrodes embedded in the cuff stimulate the myocardium to contractile function. An EKG s... | 06/13/2000 |
| 6059750 | Minimally invasive direct cardiac massage device and method A minimally invasive device for performing direct cardiac massage including an inflatable bladder mounted on a rigid inflation tube. The rigid inflation tube is used to push the bladder into the sternocostal space through an incision in the upper abdomen ... | 05/09/2000 |
| 5971911 | Intrapericardial assist device and associated method A surgical method for assisting cardiac function utilizes a pair of inflatable balloons initially in collapsed configurations. The balloons are inserted into an intrapericardial space about a patient's heart. One of the balloons is disposed about one port... | 10/26/1999 |
| 5957977 | Activation device for the natural heart including internal and external support structures An activator device for activation of cardiac tissue having a stint for placement within the interior volume of a natural heart adjacent cardiac tissue thereof. The device also includes a yoke for placement around a portion of the exterior surface of the ... | 09/28/1999 |
| 5910124 | Ventricular assist device and method Cardiac ventricular assist apparatus adapted to be placed by insertion through an incision in the wall of the upper abdomen below the rib cage and an incision in the inferior aspect of the pericardium proximate the heart apex comprises a flexible bladder ... | 06/08/1999 |
| 5800334 | Intrapericardial assist device and associated method A surgical method for assisting a malfunctioning heart comprises inserting a balloon into an intrapericardial space and inflating the balloon in the intrapericardial space to place a compressive pressure on a heart in the intrapericardial space sufficient... | 09/01/1998 |
| 5749839 | Direct mechanical bi-ventricular cardiac assist device A direct mechanical bi-ventricular cardiac assist device comprises a ventricular actuation cup having two independently operated diaphragms for independently actuating the right and left ventricle of the patient's heart. The pressure and timing of each di... | 05/12/1998 |
| 5738626 | Two-step cardiomyoplasty with ventricular reduction Cardiomyoplasty is a high mortality procedure (fifty percent two year mortality) with limited hemodynamic benefit. Excision of left ventricular myocardium in dilated congestive heart failure is also a high mortality procedure (forty percent one year morta... | 04/14/1998 |
| 5713954 | Extra cardiac ventricular assist device An artificial implantable heart assist system with an artificial myocardium employs a number of flexible, non-distensible tubes with the walls along their long axes connected in series to form a cuff. The tubes are sealed for purposes of inflation and def... | 02/03/1998 |
| 5558617 | Cardiac compression band-stay-pad assembly and method of replacing the same A ventricular assist device for a heart includes a compression band-stay-pad assembly for encircling substantially the heart perimeter and comprising an elongated band member or chain disposed in a sealed protective structure filled with a lubricating med... | 09/24/1996 |
| 5533958 | Intrapericardial assist device and associated method An intrapericardial assist device and method comprises an electrode carrier in the form of an inflatable cuff-shaped balloon adapted for juxtaposition to a patient's heart in an intrapericardial space. An electrical contact or electrode is disposed on the... | 07/09/1996 |
| 5484391 | Direct manual cardiac compression method Methods for employing a heart massager for substernal heart massage are disclosed. The heart massager comprises a heart-contacting member connected to a handle. The disclosed method comprises the following steps: making an incision in the skin in an inter... | 01/16/1996 |
| 5385528 | Intrapericardial assist device and associated method In a surgical method for resuscitating a stopped heart an inflatable balloon is inserted in a folded, collapsed configuration into an intrapericardial space about the stopped heart. The balloon is inflated in the intrapericardial space to place a compress... | 01/31/1995 |
| 5383840 | Biocompatible ventricular assist and arrhythmia control device including cardiac compression band-stay-pad assembly A ventricular assist device for a heart includes a compression band-stay-pad assembly for encircling substantially the entire heart perimeter and comprising an elongated band member or chain disposed in a sealed protective structure filled with a lubricat... | 01/24/1995 |
| 5354790 | Methods for the preparation of non-stringy adhesive hydrophilic gels A method is disclosed for the preparation of non-stringy hydrogels that are comprised of a homogeneous uniform mixture of water and at least one water-soluble high molecular weight polymer. Suitable mixtures may be derived from poly(ethylene oxide) and wa... | 10/11/1994 |
| 5169381 | Ventricular assist device A ventricular assist device for documenting compressive forces on the right and left ventricular surface of a heart in terms of pressure reactions transmitted from fluid contents in sacs adjacent to these ventricular surfaces to apparatus for displaying t... | 12/08/1992 |
| 5131905 | External cardiac assist device An external cardiac assistance device is provided for augmenting cardiac contractions. The device includes a flexible, non-distensible shell adapted to be positioned over the base of the heart. A distensible membrane is mounted within the shell to define ... | 07/21/1992 |
| 5119804 | Heart massage apparatus A cardiac massage apparatus and a drive system therefor are disclosed. The massage apparatus comprises a cup having a liner that is connected within the cup at its upper and lower ends. Dimensions defining an optimum cup shape as a function of ventricular... | 06/09/1992 |
| 4794915 | Method for inducing uterine activity through nipple stimulation A method for mechanically stimulating the nipples of a pregnant woman for diagnostic and therapeutic effects. A nipple stimulator device is placed over a woman's nipple, and an intermittent reduced pressure is induced in the interior of the apparatus by a... | 01/03/1989 |
