Totally implantable artificial replacement heart

Claim 2

A totally implantable replacement heart comprising: a blood pumping means for pumping blood to and receiving blood from the lungs, and pumping blood to the venous system and receiving blood from the arterial system; pump drive means for periodically activating said pumping means at a specific activation rate; heart rate sensing means for detecting the physiological demand of the body for a supply of blood thereto and for providing an output signal in response to the physiological demand, said sensing means including detection means associated with said pumping means for sensing when a predetermined volume has been pumped by said pumping means during any activation thereof; and heart rate control means, connected to said means for periodically activating said pumping means and said sensing means, for contRolling the activation rate of said pumping means in response to said output of said sensing means, said control means including: a computer means for continuously monitoring the activation rate of said pumping means and said output signal from said sensing means, and after every series of a predetermined number of activations of said pumping means generating an output signal to either increase, decrease or maintain the activation rate.

Claim 3

A totally implantable replacement heart of claim 1, wherein said pump drive means includes a power source to be totally implanted within the body of the recipient of the replacement heart.

Claim 4

A totally implantable replacement heart of claim 2, wherein said power source includes a heat engine containing a radioactive isotope heat source.

Claim 5

A totally implantable replacement heart of claim 2, wherein said power source includes a rechargeable battery, electrically connected to a power transfer means to be implanted in the body of the recipient of the replacement heart for transferring electrical energy across intact layers of skin of the recipient.

Claim 6

The totally implantable replacement heart of claim 1, wherein all blood contacting surfaces are coated with an endothelial or pseudo-endothelial material to permit a living surface to develop.

Claim 7

A totally implantable replacement heart comprising: pumping means for pumping blood consisting of: first and second pumping chambers corresponding respectively to the left and right ventricles of a natural heart; first and second reservoirs corresponding to the atria of a natural heart; driving means for periodically compressing said first and second pumping chambers at a predetermined activation rate; said first and second reservoirs each having a valve therein leading to a respective one of said pumping chambers; each of said pumping chambers having a valve therein; a heart rate sensing means for detecting the physiological demand of the body for a supply of blood thereto, and for providing an output signal in response to the physiological demand, said sensing means including first and second detection means, associated respectively with said first and second pumping chambers, for detecting the extent of filling of said first and second pumping chambers and providing an output signal each time one of said first and second pumping chambers is filled to a predetermined extent; and, heart rate control means, connected to said driving means and said sensing means, for controlling the activation rate of said driving means in response to the output signals of said first and second detection means, said control means comprising a computer means, electrically connected to said driving means and said first and second detection means, for continuously monitoring the activation rate of said driving means and the output signals of said first and second detection means and after every series of a predetermined number of activations generating a control signal dependent upon the output signals of said first and second detection means to either increase, decrease or maintain the activation rate.

Claim 8

A totally implantable replacement heart comprising: pumping means for pumping blood consisting of: first and second pumping chambers corresponding respectively to the left and right ventricles of a natural heart; first and second reservoirs corresponding to the atria of a natural heart; driving means for periodically compressing said first and second pumping chambers at a predetermined activation rate; said first and second reservoirs each having a valve therein leading to a respective one of said pumping chambers; each of said pumping chambers having a valve therein; a heart rate sensing means for detecting the physiological demand of the body for a supply of blood thereto, and for providing an output signal in response to the physiological demand, said sensing means including first and second detection means, associated respectively with said first and second pumping chambers, for detecting the extent of filling of said first and second pumping chambers and providing an output signal each time one of said first and second pumping chambers is filled to a predetermined extent; and, heart rate control means, connected to said driving means and said sensing means, for controlling the activation rate of said driving means in response to the output signals of said first and second detection means, said control means comprising a computer means, electrically connected to said driving means and said first and second detection means, for continuously monitoring the activation rate of said driving means and the output signals of said first and second detection means and after every series of a predetermined number of activations generating a control signal dependent upon the output signals of said first and second detection means to either increase, decrease or maintain the activation rate.

Claim 9

The totally implantable replacement heart of claim 6, wherein said computer means further includes: first flow determining means for determining the number of times said first pumping chamber is filled to a predetermined extent during each said series of a predetermined number of activations, second flow determining means for determining the number of times said second pumping chamber is filled to a predetermined extent during each said series of a predetermined number of activations; means for generating a control signal to increase the activation rate when either said first or said second pumping chambers is filled to said predetermined extent for at least a first specified percentage of activations during said series of activations; means for generating a control signal to decrease the activation rate when said first pumping chambEr is filled to said predetermined extent for less than a second specified percentage of activations during said series of activations, and said second pumping chamber is filled to said predetermined extent for less than a third specified percentage of activations during said series of activations; means for generating a control signal to maintain the activation rate without change when said first pumping chamber is filled to said predetermined extent for more than a fourth specified percentage but less than a fifth specified percentage of activations during said series of activations, and said second pumping chamber is filled to said predetermined extent for no more than a sixth specified percentage of activations during said series of activations; and means for generating a signal to increase said activation rate when said first pumping chamber is filled to said predetermined extent for no more than a seventh specified percentage of activations during said series of activations and said second pumping chamber is filled to said predetermined extent during more than an eighth specified percentage, greater than said seventh specified percentage of activations during said series of activations.

Claim 10

A totally implantable replacement heart of claim 6, wherein said driving means includes a power source to be totally implanted within the body of the recipient of the replacement heart.

Claim 11

A totally implantable replacement heart of claim 8, wherein said power source includes a heat engine containing a radioactive isotope heat source.

Claim 12

A totally implantable replacement heart of claim 8, wherein said power source includes a rechargeable battery, electrically connected to a power transfer means to be implanted in the body of the recipient of the replacement heart for transferring electrical energy across intact layers of skin of the recipient of the replacement heart.

Claim 13

The totally implantable replacement heart of claim 6, wherein all blood contacting surfaces are coated with an endothelial or pseudo-endothelial material to permit a living surface to develop.

Claim 14

A totally implantable replacement heart comprising: first and second A-V valve plates having first and second sides; right and left atria, each consisting of a flexible cup-shaped bladder having an inlet valve at one end thereof and sealingly engaging said first and second A-V valve plates at the other end thereof, thereby forming, with said first side of respectively said first and second A-V valve plates, right and left atria chambers; a right ventricle consisting of a first flexible bladder, said first bladder being closed at one end thereof and the other end thereof sealingly engaging said first A-V valve plate on said second side thereof; a left ventricle consisting of a second flexible bladder, said second bladder being closed at one end thereof and the other end thereof sealingly engaging said second A-V valve plate on said second side thereof; housing means for enclosing said right and left ventricles; said right and left ventricles each having at least one outlet valve; check valve means in said first and second A-V valve plates for allowing blood flow from respectively said right atria to said right ventricle and said left atria to said left ventricle, while preventing blood flow from respectively said right ventricle to said right atria and said left ventricle to said left atria, said check valve means comprising longitudinal openings in said first and second A-V valve plates and flexible flaps hingedly attached to said second sides of said A-V valve plates, overlaying said longitudinal openings, and having a shape substantially the same as said longitudinal openings, said flexible flaps being of slightly larger dimensions than said longitudinal openings; and means contained within said housing means for compressing said first and second bladders.

Claim 15

A totally implantable replacement heart comprising: first and second A-V valve plates having first and second sides; right and left atria, each consisting of a flexible cup-shaped bladder having an inlet valve at one end thereof and sealingly engaging said first and second A-V valve plates at the other end thereof, thereby forming, with said first side of respectively said first and second A-V valve plates, right and left atria chambers; a right ventricle consisting of a first flexible bladder, said first bladder being closed at one end thereof and the other end thereof sealingly engaging said first A-V valve plate on said second side thereof; a left ventricle consisting of a second flexible bladder, said second bladder being closed at one end thereof and the other end thereof sealingly engaging said second A-V valve plate on said second side thereof; housing means for enclosing said right and left ventricles; said right and left ventricles each having at least one outlet valve; check valve means in said first and second A-V valve plates for allowing blood flow from respectively said right atria to said right ventricle and said left atria to said left ventricle, while preventing blood flow from respectively said right ventricle to said right atria and said left ventricle to said left atria, said check valve means comprising longitudinal openings in said first and second A-V valve plates and flexible flaps hingedly attached to said second sides of said A-V valve plates, overlaying said longitudinal openings, and having a shape substantially the same as said longitudinal openings, said flexible flaps being of slightly larger dimensions than said longitudinal openings; and means contained within said housing means for compressing said first and second bladders.