Intercostal pump

Abstract

An intercostal-pump based fluid management system, as described herein, comprises an intercostal pump that is, generally, a resiliently flexible bulb having an inlet and an outlet. The inlet is attached to a first tube that extends from the intercostal pump to a first area of a patient's body, for example, the patient's pleural cavity. The outlet is connected to a second tube that extends from the intercostal pump to a second area of a patient's body, for example, the patient's peritoneal cavity. In use, the intercostal pump is placed between a first rib and a second rib in a patient. The intercostal pump operates by being successively compressed and decompressed between the first and second ribs as the patient breaths.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 implanting in an intercostal space of a body of a person an intercostal pump such that the intercostal pump may be compressed between a first rib of the person and a second rib of the person, wherein the intercostal pump comprising (i) comprises a pump body, an inlet, and an outlet and (ii) is configured such that, as the person breathes, the pump body is compressed and decompressed between a first rib and a second rib of the person's body and thereby induces fluid flow (a) from a pleural cavity of the person's body via a first tube connected to the inlet (b) to a peritoneal cavity of the person's body via a second tube connected to the outlet; and 
 establishing fluid communication flow (a) between a the pleural cavity of the person's body and the inlet with a via the first tube and (b) between the outlet and a the peritoneal cavity of the person's body with a via the second tube. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 configuring the intercostal pump for placement in the intercostal space so as to be activated by being compressed by (a) the first rib at a first point of contact between the first rib and the intercostal pump and (b) the second rib at a second point of contact between the second rib and the intercostal pump. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the intercostal pump is configured for placement in the intercostal space so as to be activated by being compressed by (a) the first rib at a first point of contact between the first rib and the intercostal pump and (b) the second rib at a second point of contact between the second rib and the intercostal pump. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the intercostal pump comprises a first one-way valve in fluid-flow communication with the inlet and a second one-way valve in fluid-flow communication with the outlet, the first one-way valve configured to preclude material movement from a bulb to the first tube, and the second one-way valve configured to preclude material movement from the second tube to the bulb. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 extending the first tube from the pleural cavity of the person person's body to the inlet. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 extending the second tube from the outlet to the peritoneal cavity of the person. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 adjusting the length of one or each of the first tube or the second tube. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 coating one or more of the intercostal pump, the first tube, or the second tube in anticoagulation factors. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein implanting in the intercostal space of the person person's body the intercostal pump such that the intercostal pump may be compressed between the first rib and the second rib comprises implanting in the intercostal space of the person person's body the intercostal pump such that an amount of surface area of intercostal pump that is in contact with each of the first rib and the second rib is maximized. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the intercostal pump comprises one or more of polyurethane, silicone, polyvinyl chloride, or latex rubber. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first tube comprises at least one fluid-inlet perforation along its surface. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein implanting in the intercostal space of the person person's body the intercostal pump comprises implanting the intercostal pump such that the inlet and the first tube are each at least partially disposed on the interior of a rib cage of the person's body. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein implanting in the intercostal space of the person person's body the intercostal pump comprises implanting the intercostal pump such that the outlet and the second tube are at least partially disposed on the exterior of a rib cage of the person's body. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the intercostal pump comprises at least one resiliently flexible pump wall. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1 , wherein one or each of an outer perimeter of the inlet and the an outer perimeter of the outlet comprises a non-flexible material. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 removing soft tissue from the intercostal space. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 1 , wherein implanting in the intercostal space of the person person's body the intercostal pump comprises implanting the intercostal pump such that it is substantially parallel to the first rib and the second rib. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 1 , wherein implanting in the intercostal space of the person person's body the intercostal pump comprises implanting the intercostal pump such that it is substantially perpendicular to the first rib and the second rib. 
     
     
       19. A method comprising:
 implanting in an intercostal space of a body of a person an intercostal pump such that the intercostal pump may be compressed between a first rib of the person and a second rib of the person, wherein the intercostal pump comprising (i) comprises a pump body, an inlet, and an outlet and (ii) is configured such that, as the person breathes, the pump body is compressed and decompressed between a first rib and a second rib of the person's body and thereby induces fluid flow (a) from a first cavity of the person's body via a first tube connected to the inlet (b) to a second cavity of the person's body via a second tube connected to the outlet, and wherein the intercostal pump comprises silicone, and wherein the first tube comprises at least one fluid-inlet perforation along its surface; and 
 establishing fluid communication flow (a) between a pleural the first cavity of the person's body and the inlet with a via the first tube, wherein the first tube comprises at least one fluid-inlet perforation along its surface and (b) between the outlet and a peritoneal the second cavity of the person's body with a via the second tube. 
 
     
     
       20. A method comprising:
 implanting in an intercostal space of a body of a person an intercostal pump such that the intercostal pump may be compressed between a first rib of the person and a second rib of the person, wherein the intercostal pump comprising (i) comprises a pump body, an inlet, and an outlet and (ii) is configured such that, as the person breathes, the pump body is compressed and decompressed between a first rib and a second rib of the person's body and thereby induces fluid flow (a) from a first cavity of the person's body via a first tube connected to the inlet (b) to a second cavity of the person's body via a second tube connected to the outlet; and 
 establishing fluid communication flow between (a) a pleural the first cavity of the person's body and the inlet with a via the first tube and (b) between the outlet and a peritoneal the second cavity of the person's body with a via the second tube, wherein implanting in the intercostal space of the person person's body the intercostal pump comprises implanting the intercostal pump such that (a) the inlet and the first tube are each at least partially disposed on the interior of a rib cage of the person's body and (b) the outlet and the second tube are at least partially disposed on the exterior of a rib cage of the person's body. 
 
     
     
       21. The method of claim 19, wherein the first cavity comprises a pleural cavity of the person's body and the second cavity comprises a peritoneal cavity of the person's body. 
     
     
       22. The method of claim 20, wherein the first cavity comprises a pleural cavity of the person's body and the second cavity comprises a peritoneal cavity of the person's body. 
     
     
       23. An intercostal pump comprising:
 a compressible pump body that is configured for placement in an intercostal region between two ribs of a body of a person;   an inlet adapted for attachment to a first tube that is to extend between the intercostal pump and a pleural cavity of the person's body; and   an outlet adapted for attachment to a second tube that is to extend between the intercostal pump and a peritoneal cavity of the person's body,   wherein the intercostal pump is configured such that, as the person breathes, the compressible pump body is compressed and decompressed between the two ribs of the person's body and thereby induces fluid flow (a) from the pleural cavity of the person's body via the first tube (b) to the peritoneal cavity of the person's body via the second tube.   
     
     
       24. The intercostal pump of claim 23, wherein the compressible pump body comprises at least one resiliently flexible pump wall that encloses an interior space. 
     
     
       25. The intercostal pump of claim 23, further comprising:
 a first one-way valve that is in fluid-flow communication with the inlet and is configured to preclude material movement from the compressible pump body to the first tube; and   a second one-way valve that is in fluid-flow communication with the outlet and is configured to preclude material movement from the second tube to the compressible pump body.   
     
     
       26. The intercostal pump of claim 23, wherein at least a portion of the intercostal pump is coated in anticoagulation factors. 
     
     
       27. The intercostal pump of claim 23, wherein the intercostal pump is made from one or more of polyurethane, silicone, polyvinyl chloride, or latex rubber. 
     
     
       28. A fluid management system comprising:
 an intercostal pump comprising a compressible pump body, an inlet, and an outlet, wherein the intercostal pump is configured to be implanted in an intercostal space between two ribs of a body of a person;   a first tube configured to extend between the inlet of the intercostal pump and a pleural cavity of the person's body; and   a second tube configured to extend between the outlet of the intercostal pump and a peritoneal cavity of the person's body,   wherein the intercostal pump is configured such that, as the person breathes, the compressible pump body is compressed and decompressed between the two ribs of the person's body and thereby induces fluid flow (a) from the pleural cavity of the person's body via the first tube (b) to the peritoneal cavity of the person's body via the second tube.   
     
     
       29. The fluid management system of claim 28, wherein the first tube comprises at least one fluid-inlet perforation along its surface. 
     
     
       30. The fluid management system of claim 29, wherein the intercostal pump is configured to be implanted in the intercostal space between the two ribs of the person's body such that (a) the inlet and the first tube are each at least partially disposed on the interior of a rib cage of the person's body and (b) the outlet and the second tube are at least partially disposed on the exterior of a rib cage of the person's body.