The present disclosure relates to percutaneous circulatory support devices. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to percutaneous circulatory support devices including flexible distal tips.
Percutaneous circulatory support devices such as blood pumps can provide transient support for up to approximately several weeks in patients with compromised heart function or cardiac output. Several issues may complicate delivery and operation of blood pumps within the heart, including difficulty with guidewire advancement, trauma to cardiac tissue, and oscillation and/or migration of the blood pump resulting in decreased performance of the blood pump.
In an Example 1, a percutaneous circulatory support device comprises: a housing; an impeller disposed within the housing and being rotatable relative to the housing to cause blood to flow through the housing; a cannula coupled to the housing; a distal tip portion coupled to the cannula opposite the housing, the distal tip portion comprising: an inner shaping core configured to maintain a predetermined shape of the distal tip portion; and an outer layer disposed outwardly from the inner shaping core.
In an Example 2, the percutaneous circulatory support device of Example 1, wherein the distal tip portion comprises a proximal section having a first stiffness and a distal section having a second stiffness, the second stiffness being less than the first stiffness.
In an Example 3, the percutaneous circulatory support device of either of Examples 1 or 2, wherein the inner shaping core comprises steel.
In an Example 4, the percutaneous circulatory support device of any of Examples 1-3, wherein the inner shaping core comprises a shape memory material.
In an Example 5, the percutaneous circulatory support device of any of Examples 1-4, wherein the outer layer comprises a radiopaque material.
In an Example 6, the percutaneous circulatory support device of any of Examples 1-5, wherein the distal tip portion further comprises an atraumatic, sphere-shaped distal end.
In an Example 7, the percutaneous circulatory support device of any of Examples 1-6, wherein the device is usable without an ancillary guidewire.
In an Example 8, the percutaneous circulatory support device of any of Examples 1-6, wherein the device is usable with an ancillary guidewire.
In an Example 9, a percutaneous circulatory support device comprises: a housing; an impeller disposed within the housing and being rotatable relative to the housing to cause blood to flow through the housing; a cannula coupled to the housing; and a distal tip portion coupled to the cannula opposite the housing, the distal tip portion comprising an atraumatic, sphere-shaped distal end.
In an Example 10, the percutaneous circulatory support device of Example 9, wherein the distal tip portion comprises a proximal section having a first stiffness and a distal section having a second stiffness, the second stiffness being less than the first stiffness.
In an Example 11, the percutaneous circulatory support device of either of Examples 9 or 10, wherein the distal tip portion comprises a shape memory material.
In an Example 12, the percutaneous circulatory support device of any of Examples 9-11, wherein the distal tip portion comprises steel.
In an Example 13, the percutaneous circulatory support device of any of Examples 9-12, wherein the distal tip portion comprises a radiopaque material.
In an Example 14, the percutaneous circulatory support device of any of Examples 9-13, wherein the device is usable without an ancillary guidewire.
In an Example 15, the percutaneous circulatory support device of any of Examples 9-13, wherein the device is usable with an ancillary guidewire.
In an Example 16, a percutaneous circulatory support device comprises: a housing comprising an inlet and an outlet; an impeller disposed within the housing and being rotatable relative to the housing to cause blood to flow into the inlet, through the housing, and out of the outlet; a cannula coupled to the housing; a distal tip portion coupled to the cannula opposite the housing, the distal tip portion comprising: an inner shaping core configured to maintain a predetermined shape of the distal tip portion; and an outer layer disposed outwardly from the inner shaping core.
In an Example 17, the percutaneous circulatory support device of Example 16, wherein the distal tip portion comprises a proximal section having a first stiffness and a distal section having a second stiffness, the second stiffness being less than the first stiffness.
In an Example 18, the percutaneous circulatory support device of Example 16, wherein the inner shaping core comprises steel.
In an Example 19, the percutaneous circulatory support device of Example 18, wherein the outer layer comprises a radiopaque material.
In an Example 20, the percutaneous circulatory support device of Example 19, wherein the distal tip portion further comprises an atraumatic, sphere-shaped distal end.
In an Example 21, the percutaneous circulatory support device of Example 18, wherein the distal tip portion further comprises an atraumatic, sphere-shaped distal end.
In an Example 22, the percutaneous circulatory support device of Example 16, wherein the distal tip portion further comprises an atraumatic, sphere-shaped distal end.
In an Example 23, the percutaneous circulatory support device of Example 22, wherein outer layer comprises a radiopaque material.
In an Example 24, the percutaneous circulatory support device of Example 16, wherein outer layer comprises a radiopaque material.
In an Example 25, a percutaneous circulatory support device comprises: a housing comprising an inlet and an outlet; an impeller disposed within the housing and being rotatable relative to the housing to cause blood to flow into the inlet, through the housing, and out of the outlet; a cannula coupled to the housing; and a distal tip portion coupled to the cannula opposite the housing, the distal tip portion comprising an atraumatic, sphere-shaped distal end.
In an Example 26, the percutaneous circulatory support device of Example 25, wherein the distal tip portion comprises a proximal section having a first stiffness and a distal section having a second stiffness, the second stiffness being less than the first stiffness.
In an Example 27, the percutaneous circulatory support device of Example 25, wherein the distal tip portion comprises a shape memory material.
In an Example 28, the percutaneous circulatory support device of Example 25, wherein the distal tip portion comprises steel.
In an Example 29, the percutaneous circulatory support device of Example 25, wherein the distal tip portion comprises a radiopaque material.
In an Example 30, a method for positioning a blood pump within a subject, the blood pump comprises a cannula and a distal tip portion coupled to the cannula, the distal tip portion comprising an inner shaping core configured to maintain a predetermined shape of the distal tip portion and an outer layer disposed outwardly from the inner shaping core, and the method comprises: advancing the blood pump through the vasculature of the subject; and crossing the aortic valve of the subject with the blood pump such that the distal tip portion is positioned in the left ventricle of the subject.
In an Example 31, The method of Example 30, wherein advancing the blood pump through the vasculature of the subject comprises advancing the blood pump without using an ancillary guidewire.
In an Example 32, The method of Example 30, wherein advancing the blood pump through the vasculature of the subject comprises advancing the distal tip portion along an ancillary guidewire.
In an Example 33, The method of Example 30, wherein crossing the aortic valve comprises configuring the distal tip portion in a prolapsed configuration.
In an Example 34, The method of Example 30, wherein the distal tip portion comprises a proximal section having a first stiffness and a distal section having a second stiffness, the second stiffness being less than the first stiffness.
In an Example 35, The method of Example 30, wherein the distal tip portion further comprises an atraumatic, sphere-shaped distal end.
While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which shows and describes illustrative embodiments of the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.
While the invention is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are described in detail below. The intention, however, is not to limit the invention to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
With continued reference to
In some embodiments, the proximal section 120 of the distal tip portion 102 is constructed to have a relatively high stiffness (compared to the distal section 122) so that it may withstand forces acting on the distal tip portion 102 and the blood pump 100. Such a stiffness also provides axial strength, which facilitates positioning and supporting the cannula 104 in the left ventricle. The stiffness of proximal section 120 may be achieved by constructing the proximal section 120 of one or more materials of appropriate hardness, by the inclusion of structures, such as reinforcement structures or slots, within the proximal section 120, by combining materials and structures to achieve the appropriate stiffness, and/or by using other techniques known to those of ordinary skill in the art.
In some embodiments, the distal section 122 of the distal tip portion 102 is constructed to have a relatively low stiffness (compared to the proximal section 120). Such a stiffness facilitates atraumatic contact with tissue yet provides adequate structural strength for positioning and supporting the cannula 104 in the left ventricle while also being capable of absorbing forces acting on the distal tip portion 102. The stiffness of the distal section 122 may be achieved by constructing the distal section 122 of one or more materials of appropriate hardness, by the inclusion of structures, such as reinforcement structures or slots, within the distal section 122, by combining materials and structures to achieve the appropriate stiffness, and/or by using other techniques known to those of ordinary skill in the art. In general, the distal section 122 may be constructed of materials that have a stiffness less than the stiffness of the materials forming proximal section 120, as measured, for example, by a durometer. In some embodiments, based on the materials used for the reinforcement structures, the inclusion of the structures may aid in the visualization for the distal tip portion 102 under fluoroscopy.
As described above, the proximal section 120 of the distal tip portion 102 may have a greater stiffness than the distal section 122 of the distal tip portion 102. In some embodiments, one or more stiffness transitions may occur in discrete steps along the length of the distal tip portion 102. In some embodiments, one or more stiffness transitions may be gradual or continuous along the length of the distal tip portion 102. In other embodiments, one or more stiffness transitions may be a combination of discrete steps and continuous segments. In some embodiments, one or more stiffness transitions may be achieved by decreasing the wall thickness of the distal tip portion 102 from the proximal section 120 to the distal section 122, decreasing the stiffness of material along the length of distal tip portion 102 without using discrete segments, or by any other methods known to those of ordinary skill in the art.
The distal tip portion 102 may provide one or more of various further advantages. For example, if the cannula 104 is constructed to be flexible, blood flow and contraction of the heart may cause movement or oscillation of the blood pump 100 within the heart. The flexible distal tip portion 102 may account for and reduce or counteract the lateral contraction forces acting on the distal tip portion 102 during contraction of the left ventricle. The distal tip portion 102 may significantly reduce such movement or oscillation, for example by contacting a wall or surface of the left ventricle, thereby stabilizing the entire blood pump 100. Such stabilization of the blood pump 100 may increase efficiency, performance, and/or longevity of the blood pump 100. As another example, the distal tip portion 102 may facilitate crossing the aortic valve in a prolapsed configuration of the distal tip portion 102 (that is, with a distal end 128 (
In some embodiments, a distal tip portion may include a lumen to facilitate passage of an ancillary guidewire. For example and referring now to
Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, while the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope of the claims, together with all equivalents thereof.
This application claims priority to Provisional Application No. 63/301,114, filed Jan. 20, 2022, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63301114 | Jan 2022 | US |