Heart support device with directional flow assist

Abstract

A heart support device for circulatory assistance is disclosed. The device comprises a chamber body defining a chamber having an internal volume configured to be filled with blood. The chamber body has a first opening and the chamber is dimensioned such that the first opening and the chamber are fully disposed within a chamber of the human heart. A dynamic volume body is provided and configured to be inflated or deflated to alternately increase or decrease the interior volume of the chamber. A catheter comprising at least one lumen in fluid communication with the dynamic volume body is configured to deliver fluid to the dynamic volume body to inflate the dynamic volume body. A directional flow structure is configured to direct a flow of blood out of the chamber in a direction substantially aligned with a direction in which the catheter extends.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . A heart support device for circulatory assistance, the heart support device comprising:
 a chamber body defining a chamber having an internal volume configured to be filled with blood, the chamber body having a first opening, wherein the chamber body and the first opening are dimensioned to be disposed within a chamber of the human heart;   a dynamic volume body configured to be inflated or deflated to alternately increase or decrease the interior volume of the chamber;   a catheter comprising at least one lumen in fluid communication with the dynamic volume body, and configured to deliver fluid to the dynamic volume body to inflate the dynamic volume body; and   a directional flow structure configured to direct a flow of blood out of the chamber in a direction substantially aligned with a direction in which the catheter extends; and   the device further comprises a vortex inducing arrangement.   
     
     
         2 . The heart support device according to  claim 1 , wherein the directional flow structure comprises a restricted opening which provides a constriction at the first opening. 
     
     
         3 . The heart support device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a support structure configured to support the chamber body in an expanded configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The heart support device according to  claim 3 , wherein the support structure is collapsible. 
     
     
         5 . The heart support device according to  claim 3 , wherein the support structure is inflatable and is provided in fluid communication with at least one lumen of the catheter to allow the support structure to be inflated. 
     
     
         6 . The heart support device according to  claim 1 , wherein the support structure comprises a scaffold formed of a resilient material, which is biased into a second configuration, and is expandable from a first configuration in which the chamber body has a first internal volume to the second configuration in which the chamber body comprises a second internal volume, the second internal volume being larger than the first internal volume. 
     
     
         7 . The heart support device according to  claim 6 , wherein the dynamic volume body is configured to expand the support structure from the first configuration to the second configuration, thereby increasing the internal volume of the chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The heart support device according to  claim 1 , wherein the dynamic volume body comprises an inflatable balloon disposed within the chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The heart support device according to  claim 8 , wherein the balloon is a toroidal balloon. 
     
     
         10 . The heart support device according to  claim 1 , wherein the chamber body extends from a proximal end at which the first aperture is located, to a distal end, opposite the proximal end, wherein the balloon is disposed at the distal end of the chamber body and is configured to expand proximally. 
     
     
         11 . The heart support device according to  claim 1 , wherein the chamber body is further provided with one or more additional openings, disposed at the distal end of the chamber, remote from the first openings. 
     
     
         12 . The heart support device according to  claim 10 , wherein the one or more additional openings account for approximately 5%-10% (e.g. 5%) of the cross-sectional flow area into/out of the chamber, whilst the first opening(s) account for approximately 90-95% (e.g. 95%). 
     
     
         13 . The heart support device according to  claim 1 , wherein the chamber body comprises one or more additional side openings configured to provide an additional inlet for blood into the interior of the chamber. 
     
     
         14 . The heart support device according to  claim 13 , wherein the additional openings are configured as one-way flow opening(s) that allow flow into the interior volume of the chamber and prevent or inhibit flow out of the chamber. 
     
     
         15 . The heart support device according to  claim 1 , wherein the vortex inducing structure comprises comprise a plurality of static blades arranged within the restricted opening. 
     
     
         16 . The heart support device according to  claim 1 , wherein the chamber body comprises a helical support structure which is configured to allow for helical collapse of the chamber body. 
     
     
         17 . The heart support device according to  claim 1 , wherein the directional flow structure comprises a venturi tube. 
     
     
         18 . The heart support device according to  claim 1 , wherein the chamber body comprises a longitudinal axis (A), and wherein the restricted opening comprises a tube extending along a second axis (B), and wherein the first axis and the second axis are not coaxial.