Pulmonary arterial compliance enhancement and control device

Abstract

Devices and methods for increasing a patient's pulmonary arterial compliance are disclosed. The devices include catheters designed to create a connection between a patient's venous anatomy and the patient's pulmonary artery. With the arteriovenous connection various devices can be implanted in order to increase the volumetric compliance of the pulmonary artery. The devices include collapsible and expandable mechanisms which allow the effective pulmonary arterial volume to expand during systole and contract during diastole. The devices may include a balloon or balloon-like implants which cyclically shuttle a working fluid from the pulmonary artery to the vein and back. The devices may be adjustable to provide desired hemodynamic benefits. Methods are disclosed for making and using the inventive devices.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of treating pulmonary hypertension in a patient, the method comprising:
 forming an opening between a superior vena cava of the patient and a pulmonary artery of the patient with a tool supported by a venous catheter;   
       delivering a shunt to the opening; and 
       securing the shunt in the opening to divert blood flow from the pulmonary artery into the superior vena cava. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tool comprises a wire with a sharp distal end, the forming step comprising penetrating a wall of the superior vena cava and a wall of the pulmonary artery with the sharp distal end of the wire. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tool comprises a needle, the forming step comprising penetrating the wall of the superior vena cava and the wall of the pulmonary artery with the needle. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising delivering a wire through the opening. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the step of delivering a wire comprises delivering the wire from the venous catheter through the opening into the pulmonary artery. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising snaring an end of the wire after it passes through the opening. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising advancing an arterial catheter into the pulmonary artery and advancing a snare out of the arterial catheter. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the delivering step comprises delivering the shunt in a collapsed state and expanding the shunt in the opening. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the delivering step comprises advancing the shunt over a wire extending through the opening. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the delivering step further comprises advancing the shunt over the wire through the superior vena cava to the opening. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the delivering step further comprises advancing the shunt over the wire through the pulmonary artery to the opening. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising compressing walls of the superior vena cava and the pulmonary artery together. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the shunt comprises a plurality of anchoring elements, the method further comprising engaging a wall of the superior vena cava and a wall of the pulmonary artery with the anchoring elements. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the shunt comprises anchoring arms, the method further comprising disposing a plurality of anchoring arms on each side of the opening. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising expanding the opening with the shunt. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the shunt comprises a fluid passageway, the method further comprising directing blood from the pulmonary artery through the fluid passageway to the superior vena cava. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the fluid passageway has a diameter between 4 mm and 10 mm. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the shunt comprises a laser cut tube. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the shunt is covered with fabric or film.