Systems, devices, and methods for controllably and selectively occluding, restricting, and diverting flow within a patient's vasculature
Inventors
Quadri, Arshad • Ratz, J. Brent • Cooper, Alexander H. • Schwartz, Juliet Laura
Assignees
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Abstract
Various systems, devices, components and methods are disclosed for controllably and selectively occluding, restricting, and/or diverting flow within a patient's vasculature. The flow restriction systems can include an implant having a flow restrictor and an implantable controller having an actuator for actuating the flow restrictor. The flow restriction systems can also include an external device for controlling operation of the implant via the implantable controller.
Core Innovation
The disclosure describes controllably and selectively occluding, restricting and/or diverting flow of a patient's vasculature using an implant having an expandable body with a distal end and a proximal end and a flow restrictor extending distally of the distal end. In one arrangement, the flow restrictor is positioned caudal of the expandable body in the vena cava, and activation of the implant causes the flow restrictor to at least partially occlude blood flow through the vena cava.
In one method, a vena cava pressure is measured from an implant implanted in a vena cava of a patient, and an implantable controller executes an instruction to activate the implant based on the measured vena cava pressure and not based on a measurement of heart rate. Executing the instruction and activating the implant at least partially occludes blood flow through the vena cava.
The disclosure further describes an implantable controller positioned within the patient to activate an implant implanted in the vasculature, where the implant includes an expandable body and a flow restrictor positioned upstream of the expandable body in regard to a direction of blood flow. The upstream flow restrictor is configured to first receive blood flow as it enters the implant and, upon activating, at least partially occludes blood flow through the vasculature.
Claims Coverage
Two independent claims are provided. The claims center on activating a vena-cava or vasculature implant with an expandable body and a flow restrictor to achieve at least partial occlusion, with control based on measured vena cava pressure rather than heart rate in one claim and an upstream flow restrictor configured to first receive blood flow in the other.
Pressure-based activation not based on heart rate
Measuring a vena cava pressure from an implant implanted in a vena cava, and an implantable controller executing an instruction to activate the implant based on the measured vena cava pressure and not based on a measurement of heart rate, wherein activating causes the flow restrictor to at least partially occlude blood flow through the vena cava.
Upstream flow restrictor configured to first receive blood flow
Executing on an implantable controller an instruction to activate an implant implanted in the vasculature, the implant having an expandable body and a flow restrictor extending distally of the distal end of the expandable body, the flow restrictor positioned upstream of the expandable body in regard to a direction of blood flow and configured to first receive blood flow as it enters the implant, wherein activating causes the flow restrictor to at least partially occlude blood flow through the vasculature.
Across both independent claims, the inventive scope is directed to implant activation that produces at least partial occlusion by a flow restrictor associated with an expandable body. One claim emphasizes activation based on measured vena cava pressure rather than heart-rate measurement, while the other emphasizes an upstream flow restrictor configured to first receive blood flow before occluding upon activation.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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