Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
140 words
A resilient pad assembly adapted for use in a ventricular assist device during direct mechanical assist to a heart, comprising: a. a resilient elongated band member for encircling and disposal on at least a portion of the heart, said band member receiving a mechanical compression force from said ventricular assist device and transmitting said mechanical compression force to the heart; b. a resilient sheath assembly having an inner interface assembly and an outer membrane, said band member being encased in said sheath assembly between said inner interface assembly and said outer membrane, at least a portion of said inner interface assembly adjustably persisting in intimate contact with the heart; and c. a plurality of spaced-apart stay members movable on and mounted on said band member for circumferentially distributing at least a portion of said mechanical compression force to the heart.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
140 words
A resilient pad assembly adapted for use in a ventricular assist device during direct mechanical assist to a heart, comprising: a. a resilient elongated band member for encircling and disposal on at least a portion of the heart, said band member receiving a mechanical compression force from said ventricular assist device and transmitting said mechanical compression force to the heart; b. a resilient sheath assembly having an inner interface assembly and an outer membrane, said band member being encased in said sheath assembly between said inner interface assembly and said outer membrane, at least a portion of said inner interface assembly adjustably persisting in intimate contact with the heart; and c. a plurality of spaced-apart stay members movable on and mounted on said band member for circumferentially distributing at least a portion of said mechanical compression force to the heart.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
108 words
The resilient pad assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein: said pad assembly for encircling and contacting substantially the entire perimeter of a surface portion of the heart when the heart is in a diastolic phase, a surface of said pad assembly in contact with said surface portion of the heart being a heart-contacting surface; said pad assembly being formed of a resilient material such that said pad assembly is capable of being cyclically shortened and lengthened in the perimeter direction during systolic and diastolic phases of the heart, respectively; and said resilient material receiving and transmitting said mechanical compression force to the surface portion of the heart.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The resilient pad assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein said heart-contacting surface of said pad assembly includes an anti-microbial agent.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
The resilient pad assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein said heart-contacting surface of said pad assembly is porous, thereby facilitating tissue ingrowth to achieve a pad assembly-heart connection.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
The resilient pad assembly as recited in claim 4, wherein said pad assembly includes electrical conductors embedded within the structure of said pad assembly for constituting a defibrillation electrode, said electrical conductors for providing electrical contact between said heart and a defibrillator.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
The resilient pad assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said pad assembly has a lubricant-containing compartment and wherein at least one surface of said pad assembly forms a sealing surface for said lubricant-containing compartment.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
The resilient pad assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein a portion of said pad assembly for overlaying a main coronary artery of the heart is formed of softer material than adjacent portions of said pad assembly.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
The resilient pad assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein an outer surface of said pad assembly is an outer corrugated surface having alternating ridges and valleys and said valleys of said corrugated surface receive said mechanical compression force from said stay members to cause heart compression.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The resilient pad assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein said outer corrugated surface of said pad assembly includes a sealing film bonded to said corrugated surface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The resilient pad assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein said sealing film is formed of polyurethane.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The resilient pad assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the pad assembly resilient material is foamed polyurethane.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
70 words
The resilient pad assembly as recited in claim 2, which further comprises: an innermost film layer and an outermost film layer and a heart-engaging portion and said innermost film layer is bonded to said heart-engaging portion; said innermost layer and said outermost layer are removably connected enabling the disconnecting of a direct mechanical assist device from said heart-engaging portion and the connecting of a replacement direct mechanical assist device thereto.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
73 words
A method of fabricating the replacement of a direct mechanical assist device on a heart, comprising the steps of: providing a pad member for the direct mechanical assist device which becomes permanently attached to surface tissue of the heart; and providing a means on said pad member for a surgeon to detach the direct mechanical assist device from the pad member while leaving the pad member connected in situ to the heart tissue.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
73 words
A method of fabricating the replacement of a direct mechanical assist device on a heart, comprising the steps of: providing a pad member for the direct mechanical assist device which becomes permanently attached to surface tissue of the heart; and providing a means on said pad member for a surgeon to detach the direct mechanical assist device from the pad member while leaving the pad member connected in situ to the heart tissue.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
271 words
A resilient pad assembly adapted for use in a ventricular assist device during direct mechanical assist to a heart, comprising: a. a resilient sheath assembly having an inner interface assembly and an outer membrane, at least a portion of said inner interface assembly having a porous pad assembly for facilitating tissue ingrowth thereto thereby forming a pad assembly-heart connection; b. a resilient chain for encircling and disposal on at least a portion of the heart, said chain receiving a mechanical compression force from said ventricular assist device and transmitting said mechanical compression force to the heart, said chain being encased between said inner interface assembly and said outer membrane; c. a plurality of spaced-apart stay members and a plurality of stay links, each of said stay members being pivotably mounted on at least one of said stay links, each of said stay links being movable on and mounted on said chain, said stay members circumferentially distributing at least a portion of said mechanical compression force to the heart; d. said resilient pad assembly for encircling and contacting substantially the entire perimeter of a surface portion of the heart when the heart is in a diastolic phase, a surface of said pad assembly for contacting said surface portion of the heart being a heart-contacting surface; e. said resilient pad assembly being formed of a resilient material such that said resilient pad assembly is capable of being cyclically shortened and lengthened in the perimeter direction during systolic and diastolic phases of the heart, respectively; and f. said resilient material receiving and transmitting said mechanical compression force to the surface portion of the heart.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
271 words
A resilient pad assembly adapted for use in a ventricular assist device during direct mechanical assist to a heart, comprising: a. a resilient sheath assembly having an inner interface assembly and an outer membrane, at least a portion of said inner interface assembly having a porous pad assembly for facilitating tissue ingrowth thereto thereby forming a pad assembly-heart connection; b. a resilient chain for encircling and disposal on at least a portion of the heart, said chain receiving a mechanical compression force from said ventricular assist device and transmitting said mechanical compression force to the heart, said chain being encased between said inner interface assembly and said outer membrane; c. a plurality of spaced-apart stay members and a plurality of stay links, each of said stay members being pivotably mounted on at least one of said stay links, each of said stay links being movable on and mounted on said chain, said stay members circumferentially distributing at least a portion of said mechanical compression force to the heart; d. said resilient pad assembly for encircling and contacting substantially the entire perimeter of a surface portion of the heart when the heart is in a diastolic phase, a surface of said pad assembly for contacting said surface portion of the heart being a heart-contacting surface; e. said resilient pad assembly being formed of a resilient material such that said resilient pad assembly is capable of being cyclically shortened and lengthened in the perimeter direction during systolic and diastolic phases of the heart, respectively; and f. said resilient material receiving and transmitting said mechanical compression force to the surface portion of the heart.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The resilient pad assembly as recited in claim 14, wherein said heart-contacting surface of said pad assembly includes an anti-microbial agent.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
42 words
The resilient pad assembly as recited in claim 14, wherein said pad assembly includes electrical conductors embedded within the structure of said pad assembly for constituting a defibrillation electrode, said electrical conductors for proving electrical contact between the heart and a defibrillator.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
37 words
The resilient pad assembly as recited in claim 14, wherein a portion of said pad assembly for overlaying a main coronary artery of the heart is formed of softer material than adjacent portions of said pad assembly.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
58 words
The resilient pad assembly as recited in claim 14, wherein an outer surface of said resilient pad assembly is an outer corrugated surface having alternating ridges and valleys, said valleys of said outer corrugated surface receiving said mechanical compression force from said stay members to cause heart compression, and said outer corrugated surface including a polyurethane sealing film.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
The resilient pad assembly as recited in claim 14, wherein at least a portion of the pad assembly resilient material is foamed polyurethane.