Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
207 words
Apparatus for directly massaging a patient's heart, comprising: a cup-like, inflatable bladder formed to surround a heart and operable to intermittently squeeze the heart in a massaging manner in response to the creation of predetermined pressure pulses within said bladder; a collapsible, basket-like, bladder support means for disposing said bladder in an operational posture around the heart during a heart massaging operation, said support means being erectible into a generally rigid, bladder supporting condition and being collapsible to a non-rigid, pliable condition; suction means for creating a predetermined vacuum in the generally annular space defined between said bladder and the heart when the bladder is disposed in an operational posture with respect to the heart; and said bladder and said support means being so formed that upon the collapse of said bladder and said support means, and upon the release of said suction means, the overall heart massaging apparatus collapses into non-rigid, pliable condition so that the overall apparatus may be safely pulled from over the heart and out through an opening defined by a generally closed incision in the patient, such opening being several times smaller than the transverse thickness of said basket-like supporting means when said last mentioned means is erected in an operational posture.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
207 words
Apparatus for directly massaging a patient's heart, comprising: a cup-like, inflatable bladder formed to surround a heart and operable to intermittently squeeze the heart in a massaging manner in response to the creation of predetermined pressure pulses within said bladder; a collapsible, basket-like, bladder support means for disposing said bladder in an operational posture around the heart during a heart massaging operation, said support means being erectible into a generally rigid, bladder supporting condition and being collapsible to a non-rigid, pliable condition; suction means for creating a predetermined vacuum in the generally annular space defined between said bladder and the heart when the bladder is disposed in an operational posture with respect to the heart; and said bladder and said support means being so formed that upon the collapse of said bladder and said support means, and upon the release of said suction means, the overall heart massaging apparatus collapses into non-rigid, pliable condition so that the overall apparatus may be safely pulled from over the heart and out through an opening defined by a generally closed incision in the patient, such opening being several times smaller than the transverse thickness of said basket-like supporting means when said last mentioned means is erected in an operational posture.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: said inflatable bladder is adapted for connection with a source of pulsating pneumatic pressure.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: said basket-like, support means is formed by an inflatable material and is adapted for connection with a source of constant pneumatic pressure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
121 words
An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein: said suction means includes an air evacuation source communicating with said annular space about said heart through a first elongated tube; said inflatable, basket-like support means communicates with said source of constant pneumatic pressure through a second elongated tube; said inflatable bladder means communicates with said source of pulsating pneumatic pressure through a third elongated tube; and whereby said overall apparatus may be pulled from over a heart upon the deflation of said bladder means and said supporting means and after the release of said suction means by pulling at least one of said first, second and third elongated tubes longitudinally out through an opening in the patient defined by a generally closed incision.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein at least one of said first, second and third elongated tubes are disposed concentrically with respect to each other.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein at least one of said first, second and third elongated tubes is of a rigid structure.