Magnetic pellets and external electromagnetic device for assisting left ventricular contraction, method of pellet insertion, and method of ventricular electromagnetic assistance

Abstract

A magnetic pellet for use in treating a patient's congestive heart includes a contact portion and a plurality of wings. Each wing has a distal end portion hingedly connected to the contact portion and a proximal end portion. The proximal end portions bend toward each other when an electromagnetic field is applied to the pellet. A method of inserting the pellets into a myocardial wall of a heart includes supplying an electromagnetic field to the pellet attached to a distal end of an electromagnetic rod positioned within a delivery catheter, positioning the magnetic pellet at a target area on the myocardial wall; using an injection syringe, positioned at a proximal end of the catheter, to force the pellet into the myocardial wall; and removing the electromagnetic field previously supplied to the pellet and thereby causing the spring-wings to open.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of inserting a magnetic pellet into a myocardial wall of a heart comprising the steps of: 
 supplying an electromagnetic field to the pellet attached to a distal end of an electromagnetic rod, wherein the rod is positioned within a delivery catheter, wherein the magnetic pellet has a plurality of spring-wings;    positioning the magnetic pellet at a target area on the myocardial wall;    inserting the pellet into the myocardial wall;    removing the electromagnetic field previously supplied to the pellet and thereby causing the spring-wings to open.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the myocardial wall is in the heart's left ventricle.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the myocardial wall is in the heart's right ventricle.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the myocardial wall is a posterior wall or an anterior wall.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic field is generated by an external electromagnetic generator, and wherein the external electromagnetic generator is electrically connected to a proximal end of the electromagnetic rod by a wire.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 introducing the delivery catheter to the target area of the myocardial wall by sending the catheter through a femoral artery.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 introducing the delivery catheter to the target area of the myocardial wall by transthoracically sending the catheter through a chest wall.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of inserting the pellet into the myocardial wall is performed using an injection syringe positioned at a proximal end of the catheter.  
     
     
         9 . A method of treating a patient's congestive heart failure comprising the steps of: 
 positioning a first plurality of spring-winged pellets in a myocardium of an anterior wall of a ventricle of the patient's heart;    positioning a second plurality of spring-winged pellets in a myocardium of a posterior wall of a ventricle of the patient's heart;    positioning an electromagnetic generator;    cyclically generating an electromagnetic field which magnetically interacts with the first and the second plurality of pellets;    magnetically pushing, in response to the cyclical electromagnetic field, the first plurality of pellets away from the electromagnetic generator; and    magnetically pulling, in response to the cyclical electromagnetic field, the second plurality of pellets toward the electromagnetic generator.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 positioning an EKG monitor on the patient and generating a waveform of the heart's electrical activity; and    synchronizing the cyclical electromagnetic field cyclically to correspond to the heart's electrical activity.    
     
     
         11 . A magnetic pellet adapted to be inserted into a patient's heart comprising: 
 a contact portion; and    a plurality of wings,    wherein each wing has a distal end portion hingedly connected to the contact portion, wherein each wing has a proximal end portion, and wherein the proximal end portions of the plurality of wings bend toward each other when an electromagnetic field is applied to the pellet.    
     
     
         12 . The pellet of  claim 11 , wherein the pellet is formed of at least one ferromagnetic material.  
     
     
         13 . The pellet of  claim 11 , wherein the pellet is formed of at least one diamagnetic material.  
     
     
         14 . The pellet of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 a polyurethane membrane covering the wings and contact portion.    
     
     
         15 . The pellet of  claim 14 , wherein the membrane is vacuum-sealed onto the wings and contact portion.