Pulmonary and circulatory blood flow support devices and methods for heart surgery procedures

Abstract

Pump and cannula systems inserted through the right side and/or left side of the heart provide protection against collapse of the heart chambers and veins and arteries and provide supplemental blood flow through same to enable beating heart bypass surgery on all vessels of the heart, including lateral and posterior vessels. The invention eliminates the use of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) machines. The invention further provides stents adapted for protecting from vein, artery, atrium and/or ventricle collapse during beating heart bypass surgery.

1 . A method of providing cardiac support to a patient comprising 
 inserting the cannula portion of a pump and cannula system through the bicuspid valve, through the aortic valve, and through the kink zone of the aorta;    pumping blood from upstream of the aortic valve into the aorta; and    adjusting the pump output to provide sufficient blood flow to the aorta.    
     
     
         2 . A method of providing cardiac support comprising 
 providing a pump having a pump intake port and a pump outflow port,    inserting a first cannula through an incision in the wall of the left atrium such that an inflow port of the first cannula is disposed in the left atrium,    inserting a second cannula through the first cannula such that the second cannula extends through the bicuspid valve and through the kink zone of the aorta,    connecting the pump intake port to the first cannula,    connecting the pump outflow port to the second cannula, and    operating the pump to pump blood from the left atrium through the pump and into the aorta.    
     
     
         3 . A method of providing cardiac support to a patient comprising 
 inserting the cannula portion of a pump and cannula system through the tricuspid valve, through the pulmonary valve, and through the kink zone of the pulmonary artery;    pumping blood from upstream of the pulmonary valve into the pulmonary artery; and    adjusting the pump output to provide sufficient blood flow to the pulmonary artery.    
     
     
         4 . A method of providing cardiac support comprising 
 providing a pump having a pump intake port and a pump outflow port,    inserting a first cannula through an incision in the wall of the right atrium such that an inflow port of the first cannula is disposed in the right atrium,    inserting a second cannula through the first cannula such that the second cannula extends through the tricuspid valve and through the kink zone of the pulmonary artery,    connecting the pump intake port to the first cannula,    connecting the pump outflow port to the second cannula, and    operating the pump to pump blood from the right atrium through the pump and into the pulmonary artery.    
     
     
         5 . A method of providing cardiac support to a patient comprising 
 providing a pump having a pump intake port and a pump outflow port,    inserting a first cannula through an incision in the wall of the left atrium such that an inflow port of the first cannula is disposed in the left atrium,    inserting a second cannula through the first cannula such that the second cannula is disposed in the left ventricle,    connecting the pump intake port to the first cannula,    connecting the pump outflow port to the second cannula, and    operating the pump to pump blood from the left atrium through the pump and into the left ventricle.    
     
     
         6 . A method of providing cardiac support to a patient comprising 
 providing a pump having a pump intake port and a pump outflow port,    inserting a first cannula through an incision in the wall of the right atrium such that an inflow port of the first cannula is disposed in the right atrium,    inserting a second cannula through the first cannula such that the second cannula is disposed in the right ventricle,    connecting the pump intake port to the first cannula,    connecting the pump outflow port to the second cannula, and    operating the pump to pump blood from the right atrium through the pump and into the right ventricle.    
     
     
         7 . A method of providing cardiac support to a patient comprising 
 inserting the cannula portion of a pump and cannula system through the interior of one side of the heart to extend the cannula into at least one of the pulmonary artery and the aorta, and    adjusting output from the pump to provide sufficient blood flow in the patient.    
     
     
         8 . A method as in  claim 7 . 
 wherein the blood flow is pulmonary blood flow to the lungs of the patient.    
     
     
         9 . A method as in  claim 7  wherein the blood flow is circulatory aortic 
 blood flow to the body of the patient.    
     
     
         10 . A method of providing cardiac support for a patient comprising 
 providing a pump and cannula system having an inflow cannula, an outflow cannula, and a blood pump communicatively coupled therebetween for transporting blood from an inflow port formed in the inflow cannula to an outflow port formed in the outflow cannula;    arranging the pump and cannula system such that the inflow port is disposed in the right atrium and the outflow port is disposed in the pulmonary artery; and    operating the pump to transport blood from the right atrium to the pulmonary artery.    
     
     
         11 . A method of providing cardiac support for a patient comprising 
 providing a pump and cannula system having an inflow cannula, an outflow cannula, and a blood pump communicatively coupled therebetween for transporting blood from an inflow port formed in the inflow cannula to an outflow port formed in the outflow cannula;    arranging the pump and cannula system such that the inflow port is disposed in the left atrium and the outflow port is disposed in the aorta; and    operating the pump to transport blood from the left atrium to the aorta.    
     
     
         12 . A method of providing cardiac support for a patient comprising 
 maintaining at least partial blood flow through a protected blood flow path within a portion of at least one of the vena cava, the right atrium, the right ventricle, and the pulmonary artery of the patient, wherein the step of maintaining at least partial blood flow involves the step of pumping blood through the protected blood flow path by the action of the patient's beating heart.    
     
     
         13 . A method of providing cardiac support for a patient comprising 
 maintaining at least partial blood flow through a protected blood flow path within a portion of at least one of the pulmonary vein, the left atrium, the left ventricle, and the aorta of the patient, wherein the step of maintaining at least partial blood flow involves the step of pumping blood through the protected blood flow path by the action of the patient's beating heart.    
     
     
         14 . A method of providing cardiac support for a patient comprising step of maintaining at least partial blood flow through a protected blood flow path within a portion of at least one of the vena cava, the right atrium, the right ventricle, and the pulmonary artery of the patient, including the sub-steps of: 
 providing a generally coaxial cannula assembly having an inner conduit slideably disposed within an outer conduit;    introducing the generally coaxial cannula assembly into the patient such that a distal opening of the outer conduit is positioned in one of the vena cava, the right atrium, and the right ventricle, and a distal opening of the inner conduit is positioned in the pulmonary artery, the inner conduit being slideably advanced through the outer conduit such that the inner conduit is positioned through the pulmonary valve and at least partially within the pulmonary artery to establish the protected blood flow path; and    pumping blood through the protected blood flow path by the action of a pump communicatively coupled between the outer and inner conduits, the pump transporting blood from the one of the vena cava, the right atrium, and the right ventricle through the pulmonary valve and into the pulmonary artery.    
     
     
         15 . A method of providing cardiac support for a patient comprising the step of maintaining at least partial blood flow through a protected blood flow path within a portion of at least one of the pulmonary vein, the left atrium, the left ventricle, and the aorta of the patient, including the sub-steps of: 
 providing a generally coaxial cannula assembly having an inner conduit slideably disposed within an outer conduit;    introducing the generally coaxial cannula assembly into the patient such that a distal opening of the outer conduit is positioned in one of the pulmonary vein, the left atrium, and left ventricle, and a distal opening of the inner conduit is positioned in the aorta, the inner conduit being slideably advanced through the outer conduit such that the inner conduit is positioned through the aortic valve and at least partially within the aorta to establish the protected blood flow path; and    pumping blood through the protected blood flow path by the action of a pump communicatively coupled between the outer and inner conduits, the pump transporting blood from the one of the pulmonary vein, the left atrium, and the left ventricle through the aortic valve and into the aorta.    
     
     
         16 . A method of providing cardiac support for a patient comprising 
 positioning a first conduit through an incision in the wall of one of the vena cava and right atrium,    positioning a second conduit through an incision in the wall of the pulmonary artery,    providing a blood pump having a pump intake port and a pump outflow port,    connecting the pump intake port to the first conduit to remove blood from the one of the vena cava and right atrium,    connecting the pump outflow port to the second conduit to deposit blood from the blood pump into the pulmonary artery, and    pumping blood from the one of the vena cava and right atrium through the pump and into the pulmonary artery.    
     
     
         17 . A method of providing cardiac support for a patient comprising 
 positioning a first conduit through an incision in the wall of one of the pulmonary vein and left atrium,    positioning a second conduit through an incision in the wall of the aorta,    providing a blood pump having a pump intake port and a pump outflow port,    connecting the pump intake port to the first conduit to remove blood from the one of the pulmonary vein and left atrium,    connecting the pump outflow port to the second conduit to deposit blood from the blood pump into the aorta, and    pumping blood from the one of the pulmonary vein and left atrium through the pump and into the aorta.