Assembly and method for stabilizing a percutaneous cable

Abstract

A percutaneous cable is attached to a mechanical cardiac pump and is passed through the skin. An anchor can be attached to the cable and implanted below the skin surface to stabilize the cable against movement. The anchor can include a bundle of ultrafine filaments.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An assembly comprising:
 a percutaneous cable; and   an anchor attached to the percutaneous cable, the anchor extending radially away from the percutaneous cable, the anchor configured to engage biological tissue by tissue growth in the anchor,   wherein the anchor comprises a bundle of polymer filaments extending radially away from the percutaneous cable.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a sheath on at least a portion of the bundle, the sheath compressing the filaments together and being removable from the bundle to allow the bundle to expand. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a split ring connecting the anchor to the percutaneous cable, the anchor extending radially away from the split ring. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the percutaneous cable comprises a receptacle configured to receive the split ring, the receptacle having a groove in which the split ring can be received to inhibit axial movement of the split ring relative to the percutaneous cable. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the split ring comprises a plurality of teeth engaging and protruding radially inward toward the percutaneous cable. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a mechanical cardiac pump connected to the percutaneous cable. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the percutaneous cable comprises an electrical connector configured to selectively engage and disengage from another electrical connector. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of the filaments has a diameter less than 50 microns. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of the filaments has a length from 2 cm to 5 cm. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein there are more than one hundred filaments in the bundle. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the anchor comprises a second bundle of polymer filaments extending radially away from the percutaneous cable. 
     
     
         12 . A method of stabilizing a percutaneous cable on biological tissue, the method comprising:
 passing a percutaneous cable through a skin of a human or animal body; and   positioning an anchor within biological tissue below an outer surface of the skin, the anchor attached to the percutaneous cable, the anchor extending radially away from the percutaneous cable, the anchor configured to engage the biological tissue by tissue growth in the anchor,   wherein the positioning of the anchor comprises inserting a bundle of filaments into the biological tissue.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the positioning of the anchor further comprises tying a knot at a free end of the bundle after the inserting of the bundle, the knot located at an outer surface of the skin. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the positioning of the anchor further comprises inserting another bundle of filaments into the biological tissue, and connecting respective free ends of each of the bundles together. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein each of the filaments has a diameter less than 50 microns. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein each of the filaments has a length from 2 cm to 5 cm. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein there are more than one hundred filaments in the bundle. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the positioning of the anchor comprises inserting a second bundle of filaments into the biological tissue. 
     
     
         19 . A subdermal anchor comprising:
 a structure configured to engage biological tissue by tissue ingrowth, the structure being a bundle of filaments wherein the filaments are attached together at only one end of the bundle or at opposite ends of the bundle.   
     
     
         20 . The subdermal anchor of  claim 19 , wherein each of the filaments has a diameter less than 50 microns and has a length from 2 cm to 5 cm, and there are more than one hundred filaments in the bundle.