An assembly for providing localized pressure to a region of a patient's heart to improve heart functioning, including: (a) a jacket made of a flexible biocompatible material, the jacket having an open top end that is received around the heart and a bottom portion that is received around the apex of the heart; and (b) at least one inflatable bladder disposed on an interior surface of the jacket, the inflatable bladder having an inelastic outer surface positioned adjacent to the jacket and an elastic inner surface such that inflation of the bladder causes the bladder to deform substantially inwardly to exert localized pressure against a region of the heart.

A first drive unit, in a state where a top end of a tubular joint is interposed into a chest of a target person and is located at a lower heart part, pushes a diaphragm out from the top end of the tubular joint while pressing a gas into the diaphragm, and simultaneously causes the diaphragm to start flexing to cover and wrap the lower heart part, and then stops pressing the gas into the diaphragm at a time point where compression balloons are positioned at atriums and ventricles of a heart, respectively; and second drive units support a pumping function of the heart by alternately repeating an ejecting operation to fill each of the compression balloons with a fluid and cause each compression balloon to expand and an absorbing operation to cause each compression balloon to discharge the fluid and contract.

A first drive unit, in a state where a top end of a tubular joint is interposed into a chest of a target person and is located at a lower heart part, pushes a diaphragm out from the top end of the tubular joint while pressing a gas into the diaphragm, and simultaneously causes the diaphragm to start flexing to cover and wrap the lower heart part, and then stops pressing the gas into the diaphragm at a time point where compression balloons are positioned at atriums and ventricles of a heart, respectively; and second drive units support a pumping function of the heart by alternately repeating an ejecting operation to fill each of the compression balloons with a fluid and cause each compression balloon to expand and an absorbing operation to cause each compression balloon to discharge the fluid and contract.

A ventricular assist device includes a rigid, elongated shaft; an anchor assembly attached to a first end of the elongated shaft; a brace attached to a second end of the elongated shaft, the brace having a surface facing the anchor assembly; and one or more actuators attached to the brace and disposed adjacent the first surface of the brace.

Devices and methods for assisting cardiac function. In an exemplary embodiment of a device for assisting heart function of the present disclosure, the device comprises a first plate and an opposing second plate, each plate having an inner surface, a cardiac processor coupled to at least one of the first plate and the second plate, a bladder having an inner chamber and disposed between the inner surfaces, and a first catheter having a proximal end in communication with the inner chamber of the bladder and a distal end having a first pericardial balloon coupled thereto, wherein a gas and/or a liquid within the inner chamber of the bladder can be injected into the first pericardial balloon upon compression of the first plate relative to the second plate, and wherein the gas and/or the liquid can be removed from the first pericardial balloon upon retraction of the first plate relative to the second plate.

Foam-based pneumatic actuators can be formed in a state of mechanical compression prior to actuation. An actuator includes an elastomeric foam; a coating disposed on the elastomeric foam; and an elastomer seal disposed on the coating. The coating constrains the elastomeric foam and can be configured to break or fracture when the elastomeric foam inflates. The elastomer seal can be configured to be impermeable to the actuating fluid. Such a foam actuator can be used in a cardiac compression device. These foam actuators possess increased actuation deformation and an actuation exerted force for a given inflation pressure. A large deformation can be provided from materials having low ultimate strains.

Foam-based pneumatic actuators can be formed in a state of mechanical compression prior to actuation. An actuator includes an elastomeric foam; a coating disposed on the elastomeric foam; and an elastomer seal disposed on the coating. The coating constrains the elastomeric foam and can be configured to break or fracture when the elastomeric foam inflates. The elastomer seal can be configured to be impermeable to the actuating fluid. Such a foam actuator can be used in a cardiac compression device. These foam actuators possess increased actuation deformation and an actuation exerted force for a given inflation pressure. A large deformation can be provided from materials having low ultimate strains.

Devices and methods for providing localized pressure to a region of a patient's heart to improve heart functioning, including: (a) a jacket made of a flexible biocompatible material, the jacket having an open top end that is received around the heart and a bottom portion that is received around the apex of the heart; and (b) at least one inflatable bladder disposed on an interior surface of the jacket, the inflatable bladder having an inelastic outer surface positioned adjacent to the jacket and an elastic inner surface such that inflation of the bladder causes the bladder to deform substantially inwardly to exert localized pressure against a region of the heart.

Devices and methods for providing localized pressure to a region of a patient's heart to improve heart functioning, including: (a) a jacket made of a flexible biocompatible material, the jacket having an open top end that is received around the heart and a bottom portion that is received around the apex of the heart; and (b) at least one inflatable bladder disposed on an interior surface of the jacket, the inflatable bladder having an inelastic outer surface positioned adjacent to the jacket and an elastic inner surface such that inflation of the bladder causes the bladder to deform substantially inwardly to exert localized pressure against a region of the heart.

A tubular pulsatile ventricular assist device (PVAD) system for providing forward flow of blood in a pulsatile, peristaltic, and non-hemolytic manner to help reduce the amount of blood clotting associated with current ventricular devices on the market. The system can encircle a portion of a blood vessel, and the system can sequentially apply a pressure through each port in a particular pre-determined patter so as to selectively occlude the lumen, thereby creating a pulsatile, peristaltic movement along a length of system. Said movement causes blood to flow through the portion of the blood vessel.